EAR FARM's Top 15 Albums Of 2007

This is a re-post of EAR FARM's Top Albums Of 2007 list. Regular posting will resume Wednesday, the 2nd of January. Be sure to read the reader-decided 100th 8+ if you haven't already. Otherwise, have a look at EAR FARM's Tops of '07 Lists below and feel free to share your thoughts, criticisms, and/or your own lists.

Here's hoping you have a very happy New Year, and we'll see you in 2008!

What you'll find below is a list of our "top" 15 albums released in 2007. What does this mean? Favorites? Bests? Both, yes. These are the bests of our favorites. The most favorite-bests. We worked together as a team to come up with a list we both agreed on, fought and clawed for our favorites, and had to let go of some of them for the greater good. Ultimately, we're extremely pleased with the list we've come up with. So, after you check out the teaser list below, have a look at the big list inside by clicking through to continue reading/view comments. Once there, click the title of the album to purchase it, click the artist's name to go to their site, click the (+) to read what a variety of critics have to say, and click on the song name to listen to an MP3 from the respective album. As always, we welcome you to comment, complain, leave your own "tops of '07" list, or tag the comments to this post with graffiti.

EAR FARM's Top Albums Of 2007 #'s 15-11
15. Let's Stay Friends by Les Savy Fav
14. Red Album by Baroness
13. Marry Me by St. Vincent
12. Autumn of the Seraphs by Pinback
11. Eardrum by Talib Kweli


EAR FARM's Top 15 Albums Of 2007

15. Let's Stay Friends by Les Savy Fav (+) - listen: "Patty Lee"
The real star of this album is guitarist Seth Jabour. Alternating between understated rhythms lurking at the back of the mix to insanely catchy lead lines dictating the entire direction of a given song, he gets my "Slash Award" for 2007. This isn't in recognition of technical virtuosity but rather for stuffing an entire album full of guitar parts that I can whistle along to from memory (except I can't whistle, so maybe just hum). Top to bottom, this is a really fun, uplifting, fist-pumping party album. - Mike

14. Red Album by Baroness (+) - listen: "The Birthing"
Red Album is 2007's finest metal album and one I'm pretty sure you'd love if you only gave it a chance. I know, you scoff. You're ready to skip over this album because you don't need metal in your life. Oh but you do! And on this record Baroness has crafted an album that's just as heavy as it is ethereal, just as balls out riff-rocking as it is accessible. A metal album that's not very far off from what you might expect to hear from Isis, and yet entirely "Southern" and even partially "indie rock-ish". Huh? Trust me. For those about to rock, look no further. - Matt

13. Marry Me by St. Vincent (+) - listen: "Now Now"
After spending time as a member of Sufjan Stevens' band and the Polyphonic Spree, Marry Me finds Annie Clark (St. Vincent) bursting into the music world like an excited child who's just returned from the zoo. While the record could've ended up sounding like an overly anxious artist's long awaited (messy) moment in the sun, Marry Me is anything but. Instead, it's a near-flawless debut and I can't wait for the follow up. - Matt

12. Autumn of the Seraphs by Pinback (+) - listen: "Good To Sea"
When I heard grumblings that this was just like every other Pinback album I thought, "you mean it's filled with interlocking rhythms executed with swiss-clock precision beneath a bed of minor-chord hooks and twisting harmonies?", before leaving a vapor trail in my midst on the way to the record store. Knowing Rob Crow's tastes, if their last album was titled Summer in Abaddon and this one Autumn of the Seraphs, what are the odds their next one will be Winter in Middle Earth? - Mike

11. Eardrum by Talib Kweli (+) - listen: "The Perfect Beat (feat. KRS-One)"
A two sided truth: I'm calling Eardrum 2007's best hip-hop album (yep, better than recent records from El-P and Pharaohe Monch) but it's possible that it could've been even better if Kweli (and his army of producers and guest stars) had been more stingy with the number of tracks included on the record. That's not to say there are bad songs dragging the album down, just that there was really no need to max out all 80 minutes on this CD by pumping it full of 20 tracks. It's perhaps the most disjointed and sprawling album on this list of great albums. So what I recommend is to split it in half, split it in thirds, listen to one song each day for the next three weeks - take it in in whatever way works for you, but whatever you do, don't miss it. The production and guest appearances are top notch and Kweli really goes above and beyond with his delivery/flow and, most of all, with his lyrics. The best in the business. - Matt

10. Strawberry Jam by Animal Collective (+) - listen: "Derek"
As they've gotten more popular, the fidelity of Animal Collective albums has improved drastically. Listen to Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished next to Strawberry Jam and the difference is startling. I always identified the lo-fi soupy sonics of their previous albums as just another signature element of their sound, and when the sparkling-clean production of Strawberry Jam power-washed these imperfections away, it left me a bit cold. BUT, coming back to this album recently I realized that all along I guess I secretly wanted their older albums to sound better and bigger to do their songs proper justice. Guess what? Strawberry Jam does just that, and the album cooks as a result. It's also perhaps their most accessible effort as well. - Mike

9. Fort Nightly by White Rabbits (+) - listen: "While We Go Dancing"We considered doing a nerdy list of best song sequences within albums, and for me that idea was partially born from listening to tracks 3-7 on Fort Nightly on continuous loop. And this isn't to suggest the album is front-loaded either, it's just THAT good. From songwriting and arrangements to instrumentation and delivery, this is an incredibly strong full-length debut. Good songs prevail. - Mike

8. All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone by Explosions In The Sky (+) - listen: "It's Natural To Be Afraid"
I'm not a long-time fan of this band, but I know people who are. And I know they probably don't consider this the "best" album from Explosions In The Sky, but I'll tell you what: they're wrong. All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone is Explosions at their pinnacle, they've totally perfected their signature dramatic post-rock formula to create one of the most solid and complete works of art of any kind to come out in 2007. With tonal and melodic themes that seamlessly run throughout, it flows almost more like a symphony than a rock record. Listen to this alone, listen to it while driving, listen to it with headphones on, or listen on your stereo and wake up the neighbors. However you chose to experience this record, beware. Because if you let it, it will completely take over. - Matt

7. Friend Opportunity by Deerhoof (+) - listen: "The Perfect Me"
Possibly better than The Runners Four, possibly Deerhoof's finest album, but not my favorite of theirs. It is, however, much better than most of the records released this year and has more than its fair share of fantastic/genius moments. - Matt

What a shame this was released way back in January. If they had pushed it to coincide with "blog awards season" like Oscar contenders do every fall, Friend Opportunity would probably be at the top of most lists, EAR FARM included (and c'mon, inclusion on these lists is comparable to winning an Oscar, right?). As it stands, this is just another run-of-the-mill Deerhoof album, meaning it's a kaleidoscopic cocktail of ingenious time shifts, starts, stops, freak-outs and childlike melodies that will knock you flat on your ass. I will always be anxiously awaiting whatever Deerhoof does next. - Mike

6. Friend And Foe by Menomena (+) - listen: "The Pelican"
I've been told to check out this band in the past, I didn't listen. But for some reason one day at work I threw this album on and was hooked immediately. By what? By the rhythm and melody, rhythm... and melody. And also by the fact that this is one of the finest (pure) indie rock records I've heard since Funeral. Tops. And also, gotta love the sax work. - Matt

Two of my closest friends whose taste in music I will never question had been oohing and ahhhing about Menomena - and this album in particular - for quite some time. Late to the party as always (I also had cable tv taken away from me as a kid), the high expectations I already had for Friend And Foe increased even more upon nerding out to their incredible album art. So basically I was sold before I even pressed play. Turns out the album sounds incredible too. My friends are smart. - Mike

5. Person Pitch by Panda Bear (+) - listen: "Take Pills"
Unlike most of the music dork world I didn't fall for this album in a big grand 'love at first listen' moment. I knew it was great, but I avoided overdoing it for the most part and took it in small doses. I'm glad for that. And though seeing Lennox perform (and by perform I mean ruin) Panda Bear material live nearly destroyed my appreciation of what he's accomplished here, it simply couldn't because the album is so damn good. - Matt

I must have listened to this for three weeks straight when it first came out. I listened to it in the car, on the subway, at my desk and even while watching NCAA March Madness (on mute) on television. Therefore, it's entirely my fault and not Noah Lennox's that Person Pitch gradually lost some of its magic as the year wore on. Listening to it again, traces of its original irresistible charm still come through, and if we were making this list according to how we felt upon first hearing an album this would no doubt be my numero uno. - Mike

4. Sky Blue Sky by Wilco (+) - listen: "You Are My Face"
Whoa whoa whoa, what's with all the "dad-rock" hullabaloo surrounding this album? Really? Guess what? If this is "dad-rock" then fuel up my minivan and put socks under my Birkenstocks because it KICKS ASS. Yes, I too was head-over-heels in love with "experimental phase" Wilco and I kinda sorta feel your pain, but how did Sky Blue Sky become labeled as a simple, paint-by-numbers album? Tweedy may have traded in some of the overt weirdness of his previous two albums for a more coherent and band-oriented sound, but in doing so he managed to capture for the first time on record Wilco's standing as the tightest and most musically gifted rock band in America. - Mike

3. We Are Him by Angels Of Light (+) - listen: "We Are Him"
We Are Him is the best album released in 2007 that nobody is talking about. It's exactly what I'd always hoped for when listening to other Angels Of Light records, what Michael Gira has always hinted at but never quite achieved. It's frightening, difficult, droning, hypnotic, intimate, sprawling, lonely, paranoid, communal, unique, confrontational, abrasive, beautiful, and perfect. It's a good step or ten darker than most Goth rock you'll find kids with black fingernails listening to - it's what The Doors must've sounded like in their peyote fueled dreams, hoping for a sound they never quite realized. It's like Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, but better. The song posted here is simply to offer you a taste; however, this is truly a record to be experienced as a whole. Like a great book, you must work through the album with patience and fortitude and get familiar with its landscape before it will really payoff. And when it does payoff (multiple times throughout the album), I'll betcha dollars to donuts that you end up agreeing with Gira's proclamation that he is, indeed, “the god of this fucking land”. - Matt

2. Boxer by The National (+) - listen: "Mistaken for Strangers"
Alright, go ahead and check me in to hyperbolics anonymous. "Hi, my name is Matt and I like to exaggerate." Right? Oh wait, I haven't offered the proof yet. Here: Boxer is a perfect record. Yeah? Is that good enough? I've only said 'perfect' some 35 times in the last hour. So it seems. Actually, I've only said 'perfect' twice, but then my hyperbolic statement regarding how many times I've recently said the word 'perfect' should be proof enough that I've got an exaggerating problem. We all do. Look, I know it's not going to blow your mind when I tell you this, because it's being said in so many places, but what The National have achieved on Boxer is nothing short of a masterpiece. They one-upped themselves; no actually, they've plain and simply blown Alligator right out of the water. I tried my damnedest to not be one of the many who love this record, thinking that I might retain some fraction of individuality by doing so. How idiotic. You know what? You're right. Boxer is not as good as all of us weenies are saying... it's better. - Matt

I don't have quite the obsession that Matt does with this album and I attribute that to being a bit underwhelmed by seeing them live and having that taint Boxer just in the slightest. That being said, I still spun it on repeat for a 10-hour round-trip car ride and didn't even consider listening to anything else. This is like The Blob of 2007 albums. It slithers and oozes forth and seeps into you and wraps itself around you until you have no choice but to submit and be one with it. - Mike

1. In Rainbows by Radiohead (+) - listen: "House of Cards" + "Up On The Ladder" (from disc 2)
Are you excited to read yet another yokel's opinons about In Rainbows? Gooood. I'll try to keep it somewhat short...and in doing so will go back to 1995. That year a new tradition started with The Bends in which I would try to buy every subsequent Radiohead album on the day of its release (including hunting down Kid A in Australia in 2000). That mini-streak ended with In Rainbows. Not only did I not "buy" it on its "release day", but I didn't even pay anything for it when I did get it. Charlatan! I know I know, let me explain. Having been disappointed all year with the efforts of other heavy-hitters (cough cough Arcade Fire) I couldn't bring myself to be let down by another big band's big release. Now, two months later I can breathe easy again. Isn't it nice and orderly when the best band in the world also delivers the best album of the year? It makes me think all is momentarily right. Now excuse me while I go redeem karma points by purchasing this on vinyl. - Mike

Okay computer, please don't let me mention how Mike needs to hurry up with buying In Rainbows on vinyl before the karma police come after him with knives out; because, I might be wrong but, that would be a bit of a let down for me to pun so poorly... shit, is this thing on? Damn. Remember how awful peoples' puns and references to Radiohead used to be back in the late '90s? I do. It was "ok computer this" and "karma police" that. Ugh. I remember. I also remember how good Pablo Honey was, how great The Bends was, how (here I go again) perfect Ok Computer and Kid A were, how great Amnesiac was, and how Hail To The Thief saw Radiohead (in my mind) return to just simply "pretty great". That's what happens when you set impossibly high standards as a band. Each time Radiohead drops an album I expect perfection, and while I'm not yet 100% sure that In Rainbows is "better" than Boxer, I WILL be sure in mere minutes when I open this package sitting in front of me and finally get to hear this sucker on vinyl with headphones on. UPDATE: No joke, I'm writing this now an hour and a half later. Today I received my special edition In Rainbows box set (all kinds of awesome artwork and packaging along with the album on vinyl (2 discs) and a bonus CD of b-sides) in the mail and it turns out that it was worth the wait, and worth every penny I paid for it. In Rainbows, on vinyl, with proper headphones on, my goodness. Also, disc 2 contains at least four tracks well worth checking out. As a test subject in the great Radiohead marketing/distribution experiment of 2007 I must say that I'm completely satisfied on all levels. But most importantly, the music... In 2007 Radiohead proved, once again, that they're simply in a league of their own. - Matt
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And there you have it. EAR FARM's Top 15 Albums of 2007. Sure, the top two spots might not have shocked anyone, but when there are albums out there as good as Boxer and In Rainbows, what do you expect? That we ignore the truth and force something else into the top spot just to be different? Yes? Okay, well maybe next year. For now you'll have to deal with the list above. Or, if you're still thirsty for even MORE list action, check out the extra bonus lists below.

Beyond that - now it's your turn. Go ahead and offer up your criticisms and questions and name calling and all the whatever you call it... Mostly we'd like to see YOUR "tops of '07" lists, or links to your lists elsewhere, or whatever else you've got for us - so let us have it/them. And, as always, thanks for reading.


10 albums (5 from each of us) that nearly made EAR FARM's top 15

5. Dandelion Gum by Black Moth Super Rainbow - From the first note this album pulls you, floating and weightless, past tangerine trees and marmalade skies as if you're a character in one of Timothy Leary's dreams. My God, the SYNTHS! - Matt

Listen: "They Live In the Meadow"

4. In Advance Of The Broken Arm by Marnie Stern - I'm not the first person to say so, but if this album were 6 songs shorter it'd be a masterpiece of an EP. 'Addition by subtraction' is my key phrase of suggestion to musicians for 2008. - Matt

Listen: "Every Single Line Means Something"

3. I'll Sleep When You're Dead by El-P - Paranoid, introspective, sci-fi infused, a near-masterpiece, and the perfect hip-hop soundtrack for nerds who live in the city. - Matt

Listen: "Tasmanian Pain Coaster"

2. Untrue by Burial - An icily stark (in a Martin Hannett kind of way) and dark "dance" record that truly furthers trip hop/garage/dubstep by shining a soft light on what made the genres such underground favourites in the '90s. - Matt

Listen: "Raver"

1. Ire Works by Dillinger Escape Plan - Combining their ferocious chops with a fearless desire to explore elements of prog and hardcore, metal and math-rock, jazz (?!) and (at long last) pop-rock (see the song below), Dillinger Escape Plan have made one of the very best albums of the year. Easily. - Matt

Listen: "Black Bubblegum"

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5. Armchair Apocrypha by Andrew Bird - Haunting, shimmering, contemplative, dramatic, and just out-and-out purrty. This album really surprised me and is certainly worthy of all the hype and praise it's received. - Mike

Listen: "Imitosis"

4. The Good, The Bad & The Queen by The Good, The Bad & The Queen - Perhaps unfairly dismissed for failing to sound like a proper "supergroup", the disarmingly relaxed and casual vibe of this album actually works in its favor and throws a relaxed and casual middle finger at those who feel differently. - Mike

Listen: "Green Fields"

3. The Stage Names by Okkervil River - A wonderfully ambitious and rock-solid album that also contains some of my favorite lyrics of the year. You had me at "hundredth luftballon" Mr. Sheff. - Mike

Listen: "Plus Ones"

2. Shaky Hands by The Shaky Hands - Largely ignored, this self-titled debut is an endearingly messy pop postcard from the Pacific Northwest and winner of the "Sounding the Most Like a Sub Pop Album Without Actually Being on Sub Pop" award. - Mike

Listen: "Maker Make"

1. Random Spirit Lover by Sunset Rubdown - A mini masterpiece and overall my favorite record not on the big list above. Spencer Krug has the productivity of Lil' Wayne and the mad genius vibe of Brian Wilson. - Mike

Listen: "The Mending of the Gown"

EAR FARM's Top 7 EPs Of 2007
Arizona - Frameseeker and the Mono
British Sea Power - Krankenhaus?
Dead Confederate - Dead Confederate
Goes Cube - Beckon The Dagger God
Grizzly Bear - Friend EP
The Muggabears - Night Choreography
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - IS IS


10 albums that just aren't our thing, no matter how good everyone else says they are
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Beirut - The Flying Cub Cup
Dan Deacon - Spiderman Of The Rings
Deerhunter - Cryptograms
Dirty Projectors - Rise Above
Justice - †
Miranda Lambert - Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver
Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank
Kanye West - Graduation


10 albums from this year that let us down
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Art Brut - It's A Bit Complicated
Band Of Horses - Cease To Begin
Brakes - The Beatific Visions
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Some Loud Thunder
Dungen - Tio Bitar
PJ Harvey - White Chalk
Liars - Liars
Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga


15 artists whose 2008 album we're really excited about
Ambulance LTD.
The Breeders
British Sea Power
Built To Spill
The Cure
Goes Cube
Guns N' Roses (nudge nudge wink wink)
Islands
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
Morrissey
Nine Inch Nails
The Secret Life of Sofia
Silver Jews
Tapes 'n Tapes
Wolf Parade

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See also:
- EAR FARM's Top 8+ Posts Of 2007
- EAR FARM's Top Songs Of 2007
- EAR FARM's Top Ten Bands To Emerge in 2007 & Ten To Watch Out For in 2008
- EAR FARM's Top Concerts of 2007

OPP

Warner Music Group embraces Amazon's DRM-Free Music Store

Are the Kinks the next band to reunite?

Brian Wilson honored at Kennedy Center ceremony by.....Hootie & the Blowfish?

Former Rogue Wave member Evan Farrell dies in apartment fire

Madonna's directorial debut set for Berlin Film Festival

And least impressive, the top YouTube videos of 2007

8+

"Master of Puppets" by Metallica which clocks in at 8:36

I'm not really sure who this kid in the picture here is, but I do know quite a bit about him...

Although he mostly listens to the radio, the records at his mom's dance studio, and the three 7" records he borrows from his parents and pretends to own ("Jack and Diane", "Holiday" (favorite), and "Another One Bites The Dust"), this kid's mother just bought him the very first album he'll officially own. It is Quiet Riot's Metal Health, and it's going to rock his world. Everything is going to change. An intangible force is about to enter his life, pull the strings, and drive him headfirst into the land of METAL.

In no time he'll be banging his head and thrashing around to whatever heavy metal MTV decides to throw in his general direction - listening to Twisted Sister and feeling rebellious like that kid in the video, watching Van Halen and identifying with Waldo, loving every single (slightly) scary moment of the video for "Metal Health (Bang Your Head)" and making plans to ditch his alto sax for an electric guitar and a Peavey amplifier as soon as his parents are game for it. The Thriller posters in his room will be replaced by hair metal lords from Poison, Ratt, and Mötley Crüe, but only for a brief time before those give way to Guns N' Roses, Megadeth, and Metallica. It's an all too familiar tale of American suburban male ennui: forces beyond this little boy's control are about to turn him into a metalhead.

It starts when he's the age he is in the picture above (roughly 8), with Quiet Riot, but it doesn't truly take off until some four years later in 1987. When his friend who is a year older than him lets him borrow a tape. The tape. The tape of all tapes. A tape he'll immediately listen to on the way home while riding his hot pink Diamondback freestyle bike and rocking the trusty Sony Sports Walkman; wearing lime green swim trunks (always ready to swim, just in case), an orange tank top, neon yellow Oakley sunglasses, and standard issue Air Max high tops. This is a tape he'll waste no time in high-speed dubbing on his own brand new hot-shit boombox. When he hears the intro to the first track on this tape ("Battery") for the first time, the little boy in the comfy striped shirt pictured above is going to think, for a brief moment, that he might like to study classical guitar. For a good four or five minutes, this tape will inspire him to believe that he could become the Joe Satriani of classical guitar. The notion fades quickly, but this single album is going to rock the smiling kid pictured above to the core six ways to Sunday and turn him into a beast. After all, the album is Metallica's Master of Puppets.

In 1987, Metallica was as intangible to this kid as a fine bourbon, quantum mechanics, or the female body. All three of these things were but dark forces that existed on the periphery of the charted territory of his little world. Each would soon enough pull him savagely towards knowing all there was to know; he no more than a willful puppet operating under their magnetic control. Someday this little boy would grow up to love the taste of finely aged Kentucky Whiskey, would seek out reading books about quantum mechanics on his own accord, and would awake in a haze of amazed disbelief the day after he first kissed a girl. Someday. But first, in 1987, this kid was going to let Metallica do the thinking.

If the album Master of Puppets could be held solely responsible for making little bowlcut stripedshirt (pictured above) turn into a mullet having metalhead, then it most surely was the song "Master of Puppets" that inspired him to cover a stone washed jeanjacket with metal related patches and try chewing tobacco while playing little league baseball. In fact, most stupid, overtly masculine, things that this boy would some day grow up and do might very easily be blamed on the song "Master of Puppets". While it preached a lesson of nonconformity, it beckoned boys to listen to the testosterone within and become enraged blockheads.

Ask this boy what song he was listening to in 1993 while driving two friends home from a youth church activity one night...in his mother's car...what song called to him in a way that left him with no other option than to furiously thrash about in the driver's seat - headbanging, air guitaring, air drumming, yelling "MASTER" as loud as he could - until he briefly lost control of the steering wheel and smashed into the curb, seriously denting the right front wheel of the car...which song brought about this minor accident? Which song was he listening to (same Sports Walkman) in 1988 while laying out at the neighborhood pool, with his eyes closed, when his friend hit him (hard) in the face with a wet Koosh Ball - what song incited him to pick up the Koosh and turn around and sling it back in the direction from whence it came? What song helped him quickly ignore the fact that the Koosh he hucked in the direction of his friend didn't actually hit its intended target, but instead hit a poor helpless two year old girl in the face, causing her to wail in pain and causing him and his friend to get kicked out of the neighborhood pool permanently? Which song did they go and listen to back at his house while jumping around like caffeinated jackhammers declaring "that pool sucks anyway" as they vowed to simply sneak in and use the pool at night? What song made this adorable little boy you see in the picture above into an animal??

MASTER!

After spending a very long, exhausting, thirteen hour long second day at Woodstock '94, which song called to an 18 year old bowlcut stripedshirt in a way that left him with no other option but to charge like a bull into the infinite insanity that was the mosh pit, bringing about high fives, cheers, punches, and gropes from fellow moshers... What song turned this little geek into a Woodstock mosh pit superstar?

MASTER! MASTER!

Which song was said to be Metallica's original bassist Cliff Burton's favorite Metallica song? Which song was ranked as the 3rd greatest (but should've been the 1st greatest) heavy metal song ever by VH1? Which song was ranked #1 in Martin Popoff's book The Top 500 Heavy Metal Songs Of All Time?

MASTER. Master...master...master...

Twenty years after little bowlcut stripedshirt (pictured above) first heard it, which song would have the power to reign over three of the immortals of classic rock ("Stairway to Heaven", "Roundabout", and "Money for Nothin") in a reader poll intended to decide the song that should appear on bowlcut stripedshirt's music blog, eventually beating out all competitors by the margin of one single vote*? Which song was simply destined to appear here as EAR FARM's 100th 8+?

"Master of Puppets" by Metallica.

Buy Master of Puppets on Amazon/on iTunes.

*be sure to take a look at the results of the poll on the upper right hand side of this page, and thanks for voting!

EAR FARM's 8+ is a weekly feature that showcases songs longer than 8 minutes. In the recent past these songs were featured on EF's 8+:
British Sea Power - “Lately”
The Decemberists - “The Mariner's Revenge Song”
Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Free Bird"
Ludwig van Beethoven - "Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 - Allegretto"
Gioachino Rossini - "La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie)"
The Fiery Furnaces - “Inspector Blancheflower”
Morrissey - "Moon River"
Miles Davis - "So What”

To see a full list of every song featured in EAR FARM's 8+ click HERE.

OPP

Radiohead to perform In Rainbows in its entirety on New Year's Eve Webcast (and on Al Gore's channel too)

The A.V. Club ponders the Least Essential Albums of 2007

Stereogum premieres a new Fiery Furnaces Video for "Duplexes Of The Dead"

Iron Maiden plan 80s-throwback tour complete with gigantic custom 757

Brooklyn Vegan looks at what's going on between Christmas and New Year's

Jeff Bridges talks the Dude and making music with the Seattle Times

I Want My MTV - Happy Christmas

Christmas greetings from sunny (and extremely windy) Southern California! Below are ten videos that exude the spirit of today, each in their own way. EAR FARM wishes all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.


"Put the Lights on the Tree" by Sufjan Stevens (above)


"Christmas in Hollis" by Run-DMC (above)


"Holly Jolly Christmas" by Burl Ives (above)


"White Christmas" by Bing Crosby (above)


"I'll Be Home With Bells On" by Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers (above)


"Blue Christmas" by Kelly Clarkson (above)


"Last Christmas" by Wham! (above)


"Fairytale Of New York" by The Pogues (above)


"Twelve Days Of Christmas" by John Denver & The Muppets (above)


"Christmas Time is Here" by Vince Guaraldi Trio (above)

THE CHAMPIONSHIP, or Hangar 18: Bloggers vs. Rockers - Week 16

Week 16 of Hangar 18: the Bloggers v. Rockers Fantasy Football League was for ALL THE MARBLES. Team Arizona put their league-best record on the line against the third-seeded Muggabears in a championship battle that would once and for all dispel the myth that rockers don't know football (or at least the Dungeons & Dragons equivalent to professional football).
So, who won it all when the dust settled? Click below to keep reading and see the results from this past week as we coronate the Hangar 18 CHAMPION...

Oh good, you made it. Congratulations to the Muggabears! In outwitting, outplaying and outlasting everyone else - apologies to CBS' Survivor for stealing their slogan there - they nudged by Arizona to take the league crown. Now, only 9 more months until we start again...

Rockers vs. Bloggers Fantasy Football Championship (Week 16) Results:

The Muggabears (105) defeated Arizona (87)

And in the third place game...

Margot (119) defeated EAR FARM (85)

The Muggabears (team name The Dead Kids) CHAMPIONSHIP roster:

QB: Peyton Manning (Ind)
RB: Marion Barber (Dal)
RB: Marshawn Lynch (Buf)
WR: Randy Moss (NE)
WR: Terrell Owens (Dal)
WR: Mike Furrey (Det)
TE: Chris Cooley (Was)
D: Miami
K: Matt Stover (Bal)
BN: Marvin Harrison (WR - Ind)
BN: Jerious Norwood (RB - Atl)
BN: Eddie Kennison (WR - KC)


Listen:
"Hangar 18" by Megadeth

Today's NEW Releases

Merry Christmas! Not like "Merry Christmas, here are some awesome albums to choose from this week!" because that's not the case...we just wanted to say Merry Christmas is all...

• Queens of the Stone Age - Make It Wit Chu
• Young Frankenstein - Original Cast Recording of the new Mel Brooks Musical

OPP

Jay-Z "retiring" again, this time from position as Def Jam president

Pianist, jazz great Oscar Peterson dies at 82

Ringo Starr's new album also available as a memory-stick wristband?

The LA Times explores the legacy of the Troubadour

In the spirit of Christmas, Cracked has the 5 Least Surprising Toy Recalls of All Time (Jart sighting!)

Drowned in Sound lists their top read news stories from each month in 2007

Hit-or-miss

Listen:
"Good Morning, Captain" by Slint from Spiderland

View:
Image search results for Good Morning, Captain - above image is from the first page of results (and was originally from HERE).
--
In the recent past these songs were featured in Hit-or-miss posts:
"Septopus Theme" by Brendon Small
"Hilary" by The Fall
"The Weight Of A Rock" by Marnie Stern
"Where There's a Will There's a Whalebone" by Islands
"Pretender" by Madonna
"Talk Dirty to Me" by Poison
"Bandits" by Midlake
"Girlfriend" by Bobby Brown

To see a full list of every song featured in EAR FARM's Hit-or-miss (and to find out just what this Hit-or-miss is) click HERE.

OPP

Phil Spector badmouths Tina Turner at Ike Turner's Funeral

The Daily Swarm wonders: Is Idolator for sale?

A competitive field of Shortlist nominees include Wilco and Arcade Fire

Rush to hit the road yet again in 2008, break out the foot-controlled keys!

Vote for the best video of 2007 over at Rolling Stone

Spin reviews a Lemonheads show in Philly

EAR FARM's All I Want For Christmas Is Music Mix

"'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring — except for the four assholes coming in the rear in standard two-by-two cover formation." - Theo, in Die Hard (1988)

Ahh Die Hard, what Christmas would be complete without a viewing or two of this all-time Christmas classic? Die Hard?! Got that right. You may not agree, but in my opinion it's one of the best Christmas movies ever made; however, lucky for you, I'm not compiling a list of favorite scenes from holiday films here. This is, as it always is, about music.

Yes, it's true: all I want for Christmas is music. And I tend to enjoy giving gifts more than I do receiving them, so let's get the holiday spirit going with another EF mix. At first I set out to make a holiday mix, rather than a Christmas mix. In it I was going to be as current and non-holiday specific as possible with my song selections. After I finished putting this mix together I realized that none of the music really meant anything to me. So I scrapped it, started over, and then came up with the mix you'll find posted below. What we have here is a specially curated Christmas mix made up of twenty five of my own, personal, very most favorite Christmas songs; ranging from classics such as "A Holly Jolly Christmas" and "White Christmas", to songs from more current artists such as Sufjan Stevens and Yo La Tengo, to a few greats from the '80s, to an 8bit Christmas classic and a song from a certain movie that's an undisputed holiday classic whose title rhymes with "lie card". Excited? Me too.

Whatever your faith, denomination, system of beliefs, or family tradition might be, we here at EAR FARM hope that each and every one of you have a very happy holiday season and we wish you all of the best in the new year.

Click below to download and listen to EAR FARM's All I Want For Christmas Is Music Mix.

EAR FARM's All I Want For Christmas Is Music Mix
1. "It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas" by Perry Como
2. "I Saw Three Ships" by Sufjan Stevens
3. "A Holly Jolly Christmas" by Burl Ives
4. "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" by John Lennon & Yoko Ono
5. "I Believe in Santa Claus" by Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers
6. "Santa Baby" by Madonna
7. "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby
8. "Carolina Christmas" by Squirrel Nut Zippers
9. "It's Christmas Time" by Yo La Tengo
10. "xmas songs plastic sputnik arcade punk remix" by hally
11. "Winter Wonderland" by Cocteau Twins
12. "Oh Holy Night" by Kelly Clarkson
13. "Little Saint Nick" by The Beach Boys
14. "Blue Christmas" by Elvis Presley
15. "Christmas" by The Who
16. "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" by Harry Connick, Jr.
17. "Christmas In Hollis" by Run-DMC
18. "Last Christmas" by Wham!
19. "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses
20. "Fairytale Of New York" by The Pogues
21. "Christmas in Killarney" by Bing Crosby
22. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" by Frank Sinatra
23. "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)" by Nat King Cole
24. "When The River Meets The Sea" by John Denver & The Muppets
25. "Christmas Time Is Here" by Vince Guaraldi Trio

Download the entire mix as a ZIP HERE.

And, just to let you know what to expect next week - EAR FARM will be updated lightly next week, highlighted by the very special 100th 8+ on Thursday and a repost of our top albums of 2007 on Friday. So stay tuned, and be sure to vote (in the poll on the right) for the song that you'd like to see featured in this very special 8+.

OPP

Lou Reed will serve as the keynote speaker for the 2008 South by Southwest Music Conference

RollingStone readers select their 25 Top Songs of 2007

Warner Bros. orders removal of new Madonna/JT song "4 Minutes To Save The World" from websites

The Eagles turn down Super Bowl slot

Critics from The Seattle Times remember the Crocodile Cafe

LA Times: 2007 Best & Worst Music business survival tactics

David Byrne and Thom Yorke on the Real Value of Music

The Pitchfork Guide to New Year's Eve

David Byrne's Survival Strategies for Emerging Artists — and Megastars

Mac Fans More Likely To Pay For Music Than PC Users

Fluxblog posts an email conversation with Rob Sheffield about The New Pornographers song "Myriad Harbour"

rbally is back in the house sharing some live show downloads, at least for a little while

NY Mag Pie Charts Pitchfork's Top 100 Tracks of 2007

Idolator wonders, Music Bloggers: The Useless Widgets Of Music Criticism?

As always, Largehearted Boy's 2007 Year-End Online Music Lists post is continually updated

8+ (remix)

"Lately" by British Sea Power which clocks in at 13:59

"Oh bliss! Bliss and heaven... gorgeousness and gorgeousity!"

So said I, in a decidedly intentional Alex DeLarge moment, when referring to the song "Lately" by British Sea Power; some four score (divided by 20, plus two days) ago, in EAR FARM's first ever 8+. Those were the days... the 8+ feature had just been born out of an extremely brief brainstorming session similar to the one that produced the very title of this site. I was trying to come up with a new, more open-ended, weekly feature to take the place of EAR FARM's first feature, Overlooked Albums of the '90s. What I settled on was to do a weekly look at songs longer than eight minutes. A simple, and open-ended, enough concept to keep me busy for a while, I figured.

I began the series with a classically lazy approach: recount a dream! But it was oh so perfect because I'd just recently had a dream with the song "Lately" by British Sea Power in it. In the actual dream - nay, the song was actually a very major component of the landscape of the entire dream. Do you guys often have a soundtrack to your night visions? I do. All the time. And recently, I had another dream that featured this song (again), featured Slash playing guitar (again), and featured myself dressed up in an old-school British infantry uniform (again). Weirdo! I woke up with an idea: to revisit that original post and commemorate the two year anniversary of EAR FARM's 8+, to tell of this new dream and how it related to the original dream, and to re-post a new 8+ for "Lately" as some kind of remix of the original 8+...

(cue dream sequence special effects)

I woke up to what I thought were the sounds of waves crashing on the shore. Though I soon realized that the sounds I heard were the first few measures of "Lately" by British Sea Power, it was obvious that I'd washed ashore somewhere. I was laying in the sand - cold and wet and dressed like an English infantry soldier from the 18th century. Déjà vu struck me, hard. And this wasn't awake-time déjà vu, this was full-on dream déjà vu. A nearly lucid cobweb of confusion washed over me, taking place of the ocean water as it receded away. I was in the middle of a dream in which I'd already woken up (in the dream) to hear a British Sea Power song playing loudly on this desolate beach and I was dressed like a red coat wearing infantry soldier. Again? Ever so similar to the dream I recounted in the first 8+ I ever wrote except that I wasn't flying? It seemed so. But none of this really "clicked" with me as I sat and pondered life and the shore. And shoes and ships and sealing wax... I felt like I recognized this beach yet couldn't place it. But then I saw a man seated at a table just about a hundred yards inland, still on the beach. He had a top hat on and a guitar at his side. In my dream, unaware at this point that it was actually a dream, I considered it funny how much the scene reminded me of The Seventh Seal. Confused, I moved toward the dark figure as the music played on.

Dressed in black, with a black top hat on that allowed his long curly hair to sneak out just enough to completely cover his eyes, the man was sitting at a table drinking a dark liquid out of a nearly empty glass. Though he had a sunburst Gibson Les Paul at his side, it still didn't yet occur to me just who this man was. Death perhaps?

There appeared to be more of whatever it was that he was drinking in a decanter not far away. I thought of "Dallas" and the way so many people in that show seemed to have very nice crystal decanters full of a variety of liquors in their offices. Inevitably, the first thing they'd say when someone walked in was "can I offer you something to drink?" - I almost lost myself in this thought. A close call, it would've likely sent me dreaming away to J.R.'s office, causing my head to explode at the notion of rocking out to "Lately" with Larry Hagman circa 1980. But no, I remained on the beach. Right where I, and British Sea Power, seemed to fit in perfectly.

The sky way ominous and "Lately" was playing loudly, as if there were a live concert happening right there on the beach. There wasn't a concert though, the music just came from nowhere and everywhere as if it were part of nature. Part of this world. The wind had been replaced by 5 young musicians from Brighton and who was I to complain? The figure spoke.

"Can I offer you something to drink?"

Wow. Damn, the scary hairy guy was reading my '80s TV-fueled mind. "Is this your office or something?" I questioned, to myself. And I think aloud as well, though I can't be certain. There was no response. But I assumed it kind of was his place of business, as he seemed very at ease with the loud music and threatening skies and wind and sand. For no good reason I couldn't figure out who this man was - just couldn't place the familiar curly black hair/top hat combo as being the signature look of a certain member of one of my most favorite bands growing up. He just simply scared me, a little bit. And a lot.

"Do I have to play you in chess for the right to my soul?" I wondered, again to myself and/or potentially aloud in the direction of the imposing figure. Something made me pause for a moment and I considered my surroundings. Something about it all reminded me of another long song, not "Lately" but one about November thunderstorms... I noted the whiskey he was drinking, and the guitar. Something about the guitar. THE GUITAR. "Am I going - wait, or wait, are we going to have a guitar duel to..."

At that moment, it hit me like a thousand double bass drum pedals thunderously striking at once. I was seated across from Slash. How could I have been so stupid? He recognized my recognition, and then immediately referenced EAR FARM. I couldn't believe it. I was proud. And also a bit afraid and perhaps embarrassed. I couldn't really tell what I felt.

"Look kid," he said (I'm 32, clearly not a kid, but I didn't interrupt), "we all read that shit you wrote about us and that queer artsy rock band from England. About the video for 'November Rain' and how you were glad to be rid of Guns n' Roses..."

I felt fear. Afraid of Slash! Why? Why not?! He was clearly holding the cards here. Cards? Guitar. He picked up his guitar like it was a weapon. I considered running far far away.

"No, I don't remember writing that," I lied.

"Yes you do, I know. Because I'm in your head - literally," he explained in another nearly lucid moment, "you think I don't know? I remember all of it. Every word, even every hyperlink."

"Shit." I started backing slowly away.

"That's right, you said some nasty stuff about my band in that little 8+ column of yours."

"Slash reads EAR FARM?!" I thought to myself. Then I tried to remember that very first 8+ post, struggled. I couldn't fully think of it at the time, but I was certain that I didn't say anything too terrible. I mean, I love Guns n' Roses. Right? I'm not nasty! Am I?

"Don't remember, do you kid? Allow me."

And then Slash began to quote me. Dream Slash started reciting a portion of EAR FARM's very first 8+ post, word-for-word. Nailing each and every hyperlink with a detailed explanation of the address that each pointed to.

I think I had a dream soon after that where I was stuck inside the video for "November Rain" by Guns n' Roses [this was a link to our video for November Rain] (except in the dream, the church was on a seaside cliff) and I was dressed up like an old-school British infantry soldier, you know the "red coats" [this was a link to a page showing what "red coats" were]? Well the storm in the video got really fierce and windy, and the skies a very dark dark grey, and quickly Slash and Axl got blown off the edge of the cliff as I stood there and smiled. Then I took to the sky and floated around the gloomy coast for a while. A tall American dressed in an historic British infantry outift flying around the dark skies of an unknown seashore - happy to be rid of Guns n' Roses, if just for a little while. The whole time, the entire dream, THIS song was the soundtrack.

After he finished he brushed his hair away from his eyes and stared at me menacingly. My response?

"Banana boat station wagon."

I kid you not. I confidently blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "banana boat station wagon." Thinking back now about how strange it was, I'm reminded of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man moment from Ghostbusters. And, though it even seemed weird to me at the time, it also seemed like precisely what I should say. And I remember saying it so defiantly in my dream, as if these were the magic dragon slaying words that would make evil dream Slash vanish. Or perhaps I was hoping to make an actual banana boat station wagon (whatever that is) materialize, so that I could drive it far far away from Slash. It didn't work.

He stood up without looking at me, turned to find the decanter full of whiskey, took a big gulp, and stared coldly, right into my eyes like a snake coiled and ready to strike.

"BANANA BOAT STATION WAGON," I insisted this time with clenched teeth, finally realizing I could perhaps escape this madness if only I tried hard enough to will myself to wake up. It worked. At long last. But not before he could get out one final dream within a dream within a dream verifying query.

"Do blog dorks dream about blogging when they sleep? I know they do..." Slash tauntingly insisted, his words trailing off as he and the dream faded out.

I woke up again, right as "Lately" was climatically swirling to an end. It seemed like enough time couldn't have passed for the entire song to play, and yet it also seemed like hours may have passed. I was just as confused as when I woke up on the beach at the beginning of the song, but this time I was safely in my bed and not wearing any manner of infantry uniform. Thank goodness.

My first thought upon waking was of the ridiculous phrase I'd said. Good gosh, was I talking in my sleep? Did I say "banana boat station wagon" out loud as I slept? My cat was awake and staring at me, but he offered no answers. I'll never know. Whatever the case, it worked. I woke up and got away from Slash and... wait. His final question as I willed myself awake - I remembered it. It was as if I was making fun of myself for having such a dream, as I was having it. After all, I already knew the answer to the question. I was in the midst of the answer to the question as I posed it to myself in my dream. Clearly, in truth, blog dorks do sometimes dream about blogging. I'm proofus majorus of the fact: I have dreams about previous dreams about blogging that feature musical heroes taunting me about dreaming about blogging - youch! Proofus majorus, and dorkus majorus, that's a fact. How dreadful. I wonder how many other bloggers dream about blogging?

Whatever the case, have no fear blogging brethren, I'll never tell.

Buy The Decline of British Sea Power on Amazon/on iTunes.

*picture of military officer with red coat and epaulettes from HERE
**be sure to VOTE in the poll on the right for the song you would like to have featured in EAR FARM's 100th 8+ (next week - this one didn't count as it's a rerun of a song already done here; a remix, like it says)

EAR FARM's 8+ is a weekly feature that showcases songs longer than 8 minutes. In the recent past these songs were featured on EF's 8+:
The Decemberists - “The Mariner's Revenge Song”
Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Free Bird"
Ludwig van Beethoven - "Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 - Allegretto"
Gioachino Rossini - "La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie)"
The Fiery Furnaces - “Inspector Blancheflower”
Morrissey - "Moon River"
Miles Davis - "So What”
Tori Amos - "Yes, Anastasia"

To see a full list of every song featured in EAR FARM's 8+ click HERE.

OPP

PopMatters: The Best Metal Albums of 2007

Live Nation wants to compete with Ticketmaster by 2009

Nonesuch Records introduces online store

Beck's classic Odelay to be re-released as deluxe editon next month, yeehaw

Smashing Pumpkins to release acoustic EP via iTunes

Screaming Tea Party

Occasionally, we actually stand upright from our surroundings like curious meerkats to survey the broader plains beyond the NYC music scene. So what's that there on the horizon? London's calling, and it looks like, wait, no, must be a mirage, but I swear I see two Japanese men, one wearing a gas mask and the other a floral dress, followed by an Italian woman lugging a drum set. And from here it looks they're having a tea party....a screaming tea party?

Sounds weird you say? Just wait until you actually listen to the music...

Screaming Tea Party is a London-based trio - by way of Japan and Italy - consisting of Koichi Yamanoha on bass and vocals (and the occasional woman's dress), Koichi "Niyan" Niizato on guitar (and gas mask) and Teresa Colamonaco on drums and vocals. Even if you can't imagine the above scene, you owe it to yourself to give them a listen, lest you miss out on such lyrical gems as: "At near that smallish bridge, Something was floating I saw, Clay, Egg, or Prostitute, Maybe it was time’s particles..."

Ultimately, the dichotomy between such images - gas masks at a tea party, men in dresses, eggs or prostitutes? - provides a fitting context from which to approach their music, itself a rigid and studied exercise in contrasts and opposites. Alternating between enchanting lullabies and scorched-earth noise collages, Screaming Tea Party doesn't so much play the loud/soft card within a given song but rather within the broader framework of an entire EP. It's as though they've established a precise code for songwriting: a given song can either be tranquil and whimsical OR loud and punishing, but never both.

As a result, their aptly titled Death Egg EP skips back and forth between mood and intensity in a way that seems counter-intuitive but makes perfect sense, lending each song added emphasis and gravity. The band's label - the UK upstart Stolen Recordings - has requested that we not host any mp3s from the EP but have instead provided streaming audio of several tracks on their MySpace page. So, with that caveat in mind, we suggest you head on over there and click on "Cracked up Dietrich" followed by "Between Air and Air" to get the most out of this duality. The aural equivalent is like shuffling between a sunshine-sweet children's song informed by Pachelbel's "Canon" and a B-side from In Utero. In other words, completely worth your time.

The band has yet to venture stateside but reports from over the pond describe their live show as nothing short of revelatory. Typical hyperbolic UK press or the real deal? Hopefully, Screaming Tea Party will touch down here soon and let us see that gas mask up close. For now, sate yourself with the following live videos, one soft and one hard of course.

Watch:
"Death Egg" live on YouTube
"Between Air and Air" live on YouTube

Visit Screaming Tea Party on MySpace.

Yeasayer @ Mercury Lounge - 15 December 2007

Yeasayer played Mercury Lounge this past Saturday, the fourth of four bands to take the stage at the December '07 incarnation of the ever-popular Friction concert series held by Crackers United. Because of all of the recent attention the band has been receiving, the show was full of hype, large expectations, and lots of people who materialized at the last second to catch only the final band. Sounds like a potential recipe for a big letdown, but that didn't happen on Saturday night. Thanks to Yeasayer, this most recent Friction show was sold out and packed and full of energy and goodness and mesmerizing song after mesmerizing song and it was, it was... awesome. And Peter Gabriel too.

During CMJ EAR FARM caught Yeasayer @ R Bar, so we were fully aware of what to expect from the band as they were welcomed into the room with headliner applause. We already knew they'd bring to the party a little bit of Talking Heads, early Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, Men at Work, Grateful Dead, Nickelback(?), and a unified sound that is, without doubt, entirely their own. Song after song the band blazed through their set with an energy that's simply not present on their debut album All Hour Cymbals. On the album, songs such as "No Need To Worry" and "Final Path" come across as standard pseudo-hippie new wave rehash (think The English Beat meets Rusted Root) but when Yeasayer plays these songs live they are a revelation; bursting with energy, emotion, urgency, and an appreciation/love for their audience that was somehow (sadly) lost in the production process. Someone record their live show and release that as a record, for criminy.

Hype is a ruthless son of a bitch. In the rocky landscape of 2007, bands often get chewed up and spit out before they even consider to begin to "find themselves" within their own songs - this is never a good thing. And while it's entirely too early to go ahead and anoint Yeasayer and hand them the key to Brooklyn, their group charisma (highlighted at each performance by lead singer Chris Keating's ability to explode as if inhabited by the spirit of Ian Curtis at one moment and then calmly sustain a beautiful vocal moment the next) cuts like a lighthouse beacon through the fog of doubtful NY concert goers, converting the stoic arm-folders and leaving everyone equally impressed. Wait'll the rest of the country gets a load of these guys.

Listen:
"2080"
"Sunrise"

Watch:
"Wait for the Summer" live from this show (on YouTube, via Mr. Mammoth)

See Yeasayer LIVE in 2008:

01-16 Washington, DC - Black Cat Backstage *
01-17 Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506 *
01-18 Atlanta, GA - The Earl *
01-19 Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon *
01-20 Houston, TX - Walter's on Washington *
01-21 Dallas, TX - Granada Theater *
01-22 Austin, TX - Emo's Jr. *
01-24 Phoenix, AZ - Rhythm Room *
01-25 San Diego, CA - The Casbah *
01-26 Los Angeles, CA - The Echo *
01-28 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill *
01-30 Portland, OR - Holocene *
01-31 Seattle, WA - Neumos *
02-02 Boise, ID - Neurolux *
02-03 Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court *
02-04 Denver, CO - Hi-Dive *
02-06 Omaha, NE - The Slowdown *
02-07 Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry *
02-08 Chicago, IL - Schubas *
02-09 Toronto, Ontario - El Mocambo *
02-10 Montreal, Quebec - La Sala Rossa *
02-12 Allston, MA - Great Scott *
02-14 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg *
02-15 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's *
02-19 Nijmegen, Netherlands - Doornroosie
02-20 Brussels, Belgium - AB
02-21 Paris, France - Nouveau Casino
02-22 St. Malo, France - Omnibus
02-23 Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz
02-25 Cologne, Germany - Gebaude 9
02-26 Berlin, Germany - Lido
02-27 Gothenburg, Sweden - Pusterviksbaren
02-28 Olso, Norway - John Dee
02-29 Stockholm, Sweden - Klubb Spark at Debaser Medis
03-01 Malmo, Sweden - Debaser
03-05 Birmingham, England - Bar Academy
03-06 London, England - ICA
03-08 Glasgow, Scotland - King Tuts
03-09 Manchester, England - Night & Day
03-10 London, England - TBA
03-11 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg
05-09-11 Camber, England - Camber Sands Holiday Centre (ATP vs. Pitchfork) #

* with MGMT
# with the Hold Steady, Jens Lekman, Black Lips, Hot Chip, Les Savy Fav, No Age, Of Montreal, Man Man, Los Campesinos!, Caribou, Glass Candy, Dirty Projectors, Redd Kross, Marissa Nadler, Deerhunter, Wooden Shjips, Meat Puppets, the Black Angels, Shit and Shine, Sebadoh, Ween, Pissed Jeans, Fuck Buttons, Apse, A Place to Bury Strangers

See more pictures of Yeasayer (from this show, not taken by me) HERE.

Visit Yeasayer on MySpace.

OPP

Check out Rolling Stone's Top 50 Albums of 2007 and have your mind blown (keywords: Linkin Park, Britney Spears)

Jarvis Cocker rocks Rough Trade's holiday party with a surprise gig

The L.A. Times delves into the quirkiness of Juno's score

Head over to Donewaiting.com to see who's confirmed for SXSW so far

New R.E.M. album to be released on April Fool's Day?

Early Morning MP3: Arcade Fire covering "Still Ill" by The Smiths

Straight from Arcade Fire's show in Manchester this past October (by way of Berkeley Place) comes this faithful/solid live cover of "Still Ill" by The Smiths. The quality of the recording isn't tops, but for fans of either band that shouldn't matter very much.

Listen:
Arcade Fire - "Still Ill" live in Manchester

I Want My MTV - EAR FARM's Top Songs Of 2007

Below are ten music videos (and an MP3 for each) for some of the songs that recently appeared in EAR FARM's Top Songs Of 2007 list.


"Sirens" by Dizzee Rascal


"The Perfect Me" by Deerhoof


"Down Boy" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs


"Plaster Casts Of Everything" by Liars


"Mistaken For Strangers" by The National


"Atlas" by Battles


"Don't You Evah" by Spoon


"Patty Lee" by Les Savy Fav


"Heimdelsgate Like a Promethean Curse" by Of Montreal


"While We Go Dancing" by White Rabbits

Reminder: VOTE for the song to appear in EAR FARM's 100th 8+

To date there have been 99 songs featured in EF's 8+, meaning that the next new 8+ will be the 100th 8+! To celebrate the occasion, and as a special thank you to all of the EAR FARM faithful, we're inviting you to vote/decide which song you would like to have featured in EAR FARM's 100th 8+. The four potential songs were selected to reflect some of the songs most requested via email and comments, so be sure to vote for your favorite in the 8+ poll in the sidebar on the right. To give everyone enough time to cast their vote we'll be doing a special remix of an old 8+ post this week (consider it a rerun) and the final 8+ of 2007 (#100 overall) will appear the following week. In other words, voting will close on December 25th and your 100th 8+ will be posted on the 27th.

To review some of our favorite 8+ posts from 2007, click HERE.

Hangar 18: Bloggers vs. Rockers - Week 15

Two weeks into the playoffs and Week 15 of Hangar 18: the Bloggers v. Rockers Fantasy Football League saw two more teams' title dreams evaporate. Congratulations to Arizona and the Muggabears for advancing to the league championship this week and condolences to Margot & The Nuclear So & So's and Matt's EAR FARM squadron for falling a week short. Particularly painful was Matt losing by a single point. Ouch.

Click below to keep reading and see the results from this past week, a preview of this week's CHAMPIONSHIP matchup and the league's theme song.

Rockers vs. Bloggers Fantasy Football Week 15 Results:

The Muggabears (65) defeated EAR FARM (64)
Arizona (101) defeated Margot (54)

Rockers vs. Bloggers Fantasy Football Week 16 CHAMPIONSHIP Matchup:

Arizona (1) (vs) The Muggabears (3)

Arizona's (team name Black Star) current roster:

QB: Ben Roethlisberger (Pit)
RB: Ryan Grant (GB)
RB: Frank Gore (SF)
WR: Chad Johnson (Cin)
WR: Chris Henry (Cin)
WR: Calvin Johnson (Det)
TE: Antonio Gates (SD)
D: San Diego
K: Mason Crosby (GB)
BN: Matt Hasselbeck (QB - Sea)
BN: Aaron Stecker (RB - NO)
BN: David Patten (WR - NO)

VERSUS

The Muggabears (team name The Dead Kids) current roster:

QB: Peyton Manning (Ind)
RB: Marion Barber (Dal)
RB: Marshawn Lynch (Buf)
WR: Randy Moss (NE)
WR: Terrell Owens (Dal)
WR: Mike Furrey (Det)
TE: Chris Cooley (Was)
D: Miami
K: Matt Stover (Bal)
BN: Marvin Harrison (WR - Ind)
BN: Jerious Norwood (RB - Atl)
BN: Eddie Kennison (WR - KC)


Listen:
"Hangar 18" by Megadeth

Today's NEW Releases

Again again, not a whole lot, though the first two look particularly intriguing:

• Johnny Greenwood - There Will Be Blood (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• Rivers Cuomo - Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo
• Lupe Fiasco - The Cool

What else?

OPP

The Daily Swarm: How to make your own Daft Punk robot helmet

Check out Pitchfork's Top 50 Albums of '07, go Panda Bear go

The Best of 2007....according to David Cross

Man Man, the Clipse, Okkervil River among first acts announced for 2008 Primavera Festival

The San Francisco Chronicle reviews the still-awesome-live Van Halen

Hit-or-miss

Listen:
"Septopus Theme" by Brendon Small from Home Movies

View:
Image search results for Septopus Theme - above image is from the first page of results (and was originally from HERE).
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In the recent past these songs were featured in Hit-or-miss posts:
"Hilary" by The Fall
"The Weight Of A Rock" by Marnie Stern
"Where There's a Will There's a Whalebone" by Islands
"Pretender" by Madonna
"Talk Dirty to Me" by Poison
"Bandits" by Midlake
"Girlfriend" by Bobby Brown
"Slow Action Is The Best Action" by Run Chico Run

To see a full list of every song featured in EAR FARM's Hit-or-miss (and to find out just what this Hit-or-miss is) click HERE.

White Rabbits @ Bowery Ballroom - 13 December

Last Thursday the New York concert gods played a mean trick on EAR FARM, forcing us to choose between one of our anointed "Top Ten Bands To Emerge in 2007" (White Rabbits @ Bowery) and one of our "Top Ten Bands to Watch Out For in 2008" (Le Loup @ Mercury Lounge). Tough decision, but it ain't 2008 just yet, and so the choice was made to check out the band that's been on our mind THIS year.

Good choice. And perhaps the last week of making nothing but declarative year-end lists has left me more hyperbolic than usual, but I'll just recklessly go ahead and say it: White Rabbits delivered a performance that made me want to go back and revise our top concerts of '07 to make room for one more (as it stands, they've already made three of our year-end lists, not bad slackers). Click below to keep reading and get your paws on some media (as of this posting the video is STILL uploading)...

So yeah, 2007 has been very kind to these guys, and it was fitting that their last show of the year felt more like a New Year's throwdown than a typical Thursday in December (see above photo for proof). Do you want to know the secret to throwing such an instant party? Two drummers!

Ahh yes, White Rabbits apparently don't espouse the idea that less is more - as a six-piece they resemble a corduroy-clad gang as much as a rock band - and the drumming duo of Jamie Levinson and Matt Clark are examples 1 and 1a. of their everything-but-the-kitchen sink approach. Rocking in frantic synergy throughout the set, these two formed a rhythmic backbone that lent each song an additional spark, pushing every beat with added urgency.

Elsewhere, the band's sharing of vocal duties resembled their attitude towards drumming, ie more is more. On their debut album Fort Nightly, the vocals sound doubled in many parts, a common procedure that I figured was just the lead vocalist recording over himself to create a lusher and fuller sound. Wrong. Turns out that guitarist Greg Roberts and pianist Steve Patterson both have what sounds to me like the same exact singing voice and use this to full advantage live, alternately doubling vocals or trading back and forth seemingly at random. This may seem unremarkable until you actually listen to their voices, which are a distinct variation on the nasally drawl of the Walkmen's Hamilton Leithauser. That two people in the same band share such a unique and dynamic voice is pretty striking.

On record, their songs also hint at a loose playfulness that is given additional space live, again another benefit of having six members all locked in sync. The result is a staggering wall of sound that is somehow both intricately woven while recklessly delivered. In other words, as a live band White Rabbits are the intriguing nexus between the ethereal sound of the Walkmen and the raucous attack of Man Man. If that description sounds good, so does their live show.

Here's the setlist, courtesy of fellow peddlers in hyperbole NME:
Take A Walk Around The Table
Kid On My Shoulders
While We Go Dancing
Dinner Party
Untitled new song
Fort Nightly
Navy Wives
Sea Of Rum
Cotillion Blues
Tourist Trap
The Plot
Maggie’s Farm (Bob Dylan cover)
I Used To Complain Now I Don’t

See White Rabbits Live in the Ocho:
16 Jan - Pittsburgh, PA @ Diesel w/The Walkmen
17 Jan - Pontiac, MI @ The Crofoot Ballroom w/The Walkmen
18 Jan - Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall w/The Walkmen
19 Jan - Madison, WI @ High Noon w/The Walkmen
20 Jan - Chicago, IL @ Schubas w/The Walkmen and White Denim
21 Jan - St. Louis, MO @ The Duck Room w/The Walkmen
22 Jan - Columbus, OH @ The Basement w/The Walkmen
23 Jan - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda's w/The Walkmen
24 Jan - Baltimore, MD @ The Ottobar w/The Walkmen

Watch: "While We Go Dancing" LIVE from this show - COMING SOON I PROMISE (we're experiencing technical difficulties @ EAR FARM HQ)

Visit White Rabbits on MySpace

After the Jump presents New Year's Eve 2007 with Dirty Projectors, Foreign Islands, and MORE

The NYC blogger conglomerate known as After the Jump is set to bring you a killer New Year's Eve lineup featuring Dirty Projectors, Foreign Islands, and many more great bands, with proceeds from the show going to benefit NYC's Education Through Music. Read more - you guessed it - after the jump.

After the Jump presents New Year's Eve 2007
New York City
taking over two levels of the
Knitting Factory
in support of
Education Through Music
with
Dirty Projectors
Foreign Islands
Care Bears on Fire
Senryu
Poingly
after-party hosted by Cex, with special guests Ecstatic Sunshine, Alan Astor, Wzt Hearts

Tickets on sale now via ticketweb or ShopText through the Knitting Factory site

curated by the people behind:
themusicslut . batteringroom . disconap . earfarm . ryspace . irockiroll . musicsnobbery . merryswankster . softcommunication . theunderratedblog . sitdownstandup . watercoolergossip . bumpershine . themodernage . productshopnyc . yetidontdance . slapyouinpublic . subinev . punkphoto . poptartssucktoasted . stereoactivenyc . fingeronthepulse

for more information, please email:

booking: booking@afterthejumpfest.com
charity: charity@afterthejumpfest.com
sponsors: sponsors@afterthejumpfest.com
publicity: publicity@afterthejumpfest.com

OPP

Pitchfork anoints its top 100 songs of 2007

Soft-rock icon Dan Fogelberg dies of cancer

Brooklyn Vegan reports the team behind Union Hall opening another Park Slope music venue

Malkmus releases "Baltimore" from Real Emotional Trash

NME gushes about last Thursday's White Rabbits show at Bowery

Stereogum previews the new Black Mountain album, including the boss cover art

OPP

The Philadelphia City Paper talks to Animal Collective's Geologist

Check out Rolling Stone's Q&A with Walk Hard's own Dewey Cox

Anthrax names new singer

Liars announce headlining tour with No Age, includes February 9th stop in Brooklyn

Madonna named to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Matt exhales in relief

The New York Times seems amazed that some music venues don't have a cover charge

EAR FARM's Top 8+ Posts Of 2007

EAR FARM's 8+ is a weekly look at songs longer than eight minutes. Each week, new song. There are no rules or guidelines here other than that I won't allow live versions of songs to be featured. Beyond that, it's anything goes. And very often, that's exactly what happens as the songs range from indie rock to jazz to classic rock to rap to R&B to classical to electronic to folk to anything/everything in between. Accompanying each song is anything from a personal story/essay to pictures, videos, cited research, original poetry... truly all manner of reflection and interaction with the week's selected long song. In a nutshell, for over two years 8+ has been EAR FARM's signature weekly column.

To date there have been 99 songs featured in EF's 8+, meaning that the next new 8+ will be the 100th 8+! To celebrate the occasion, and as a special thank you to all of the EAR FARM faithful, we're inviting you to vote/decide which song you would like to have featured in EAR FARM's 100th 8+. The four potential songs were selected to reflect some of the songs most requested via email and comments. So be sure to vote in the 8+ poll in the sidebar on the right. To give everyone enough time to get a vote cast we'll be doing a special remix of an old 8+ post next week (consider it a rerun) and the final 8+ of 2007 (#100 overall) will appear the following week. In other words, voting will close on December 25th and your 100th 8+ will be posted on the 27th.

In lieu of posting a new 8+ today, we've decided to wrap up 2007 by picking our 15 favorite 8+ posts from 2007 along with a separate list of 8+ posts written by guest authors this year. I've done up a very brief summary for each post in the list below to jog your memory/entice you to want to read the actual post; and also, I've gone ahead and re-uploaded (for a limited time) each of the songs to their original posts, so click through below to begin your adventure through the year's best 8+s and visit each original post to read and listen to each individual 8+. If you'd like to someday try your hand at writing a guest 8+ for EAR FARM, get in touch. If your favorite song has yet to be featured, or your favorite 8+ post from this year was left off the list, speak!

EAR FARM's Top 8+ Posts Of 2007
Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Free Bird" - young Matt attempts to woo girl by lying and saying the lyrics to "Free Bird" are actually his own poetry
Ludwig van Beethoven - "Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 - Allegretto" - a special Thanksgiving post: thankful Matt, thankful cat
Gioachino Rossini - "La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie)" - a visit to a famous cemetery in Paris to pay respects to deceased music greats
Artanker Convoy - "Open Up" - ass! Hot ass... young ass.
Clan of Xymox - "A Day (Remix)" - EAR FARM's Goth Aerobics
Pulp - "Seductive Barry" - an imaginary resume comprised solely of lyrics from Pulp songs
Pelican - "March to the Sea" - a parody of a rude record review posted on the website Pitchfork
Morrissey - "Southpaw" - after a seventeen year long relationship, Matt breaks up with Morrissey
Slint - "Washer" - a window into 19 year old Matt's mind - a fraction of a short story that was never finished and barely even begun
Martin Eagle Trio - "The Hipster" - a plea to stop using the term "hipster" to apply to every person in the world under the age of 35
Aphex Twin - "Ziggomatic V17" - a post written in binary
Explosions In The Sky - "It's Natural To Be Afraid" - a new game, a true story of life on the road with a band
The Velvet Underground - "The Gift" - Matt hears Velvet Underground for the first time in the back seat of a camaro
Jenő Jandó - "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2" - the evolution of the use of this song in animated films, with accompanying YouTube clips

EAR FARM's Guest 8+ Posts Of 2007
The Fiery Furnaces - "Inspector Blancheflower” - Kevin hates long songs, but can't resist writing a lot about this one
Tori Amos - "Yes, Anastasia" - Cathy remembers when she once was Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia
Boduf Songs - “Bell for Harness” - Matthew reveals the soundtrack to running in a residential neighborhood
Boris - "Flood" - Taylor finds hypnotizing patterns in the music of Boris
Agalloch - "In The Shadow Of Our Pale Companion" - David writes an 8+ via IM conversation with Matt
Guns N' Roses - "Locomotive" - Part 4 of Ryan Vanderboosh's epic GnR miniseries
Guns N' Roses - "Estranged" - Part 3 of Ryan Vanderboosh's epic GnR miniseries
Guns N' Roses - "Coma" - Part 2 of Ryan Vanderboosh's epic GnR miniseries
Guns N' Roses - "November Rain" - Part 1 of Ryan Vanderboosh's epic GnR miniseries

Click HERE to see a list of all 99 of EAR FARM's 8+ posts to date.


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See also:
- EAR FARM's Top Songs Of 2007
- EAR FARM's Top Ten Bands To Emerge in 2007 & Ten To Watch Out For in 2008
- EAR FARM's Top Concerts of 2007

Tomorrow:
EAR FARM's Top 15 Albums Of 2007

OPP

Pitchfork talks to Stephen Malkmus about Real Emotional Trash

RIP: Ike Turner dead at 76

The Onion A.V. Club interviews P.J. Harvey

Scott Weiland charged with DUI for like the hundredth time

Check out the winners of the 2007 Gummy Awards

Watch Feist & Grizzly Bear perform on the Today Show over at Brooklyn Vegan

EAR FARM's Top Songs Of 2007

When I say "top" songs of 2007, you're thinking what? "Umbrella" and "All My Friends" and "1234" and "D.A.N.C.E."? Yaaawn! No, don't get me wrong, those are all excellent songs. Great songs that 2007 will be remembered for, you're right. But EAR FARM isn't so much about charting good popular music as it is about telling you what we think is great, as filtered through our own personal taste. The songs that ruled EAR FARM's world in 2007. So, click on through and view/listen to the full list of EAR FARM's Top Songs Of 2007. There are two lists, 15 songs each. And this time, they're RANKED. Go ahead, yell at us about where things are ranked, what we included/left off, in the comments.

EAR FARM Matt's Top 15 Songs of 2007

15. "Dear Darkness" by PJ Harvey - White Chalk, PJ Harvey's journey into a lighter shade of darkness (minus the rocking guitars, substitute piano), didn't knock me off my feet as a whole. This one song, however, did.
14. "My Punishment For Fighting" by The Rosebuds - This song is a 2007 heterosexual version of "Careless Whisper," which just happens to be a lifelong favorite of mine. Oh the vocals - the lyrics - the emoting!
13. "Atom" by British Sea Power - sometimes a band wakes up from brief hibernation and blasts out a song or two just to stretch out a bit and remind themselves how to return to form. This is British Sea Power doing precisely that. And doing it well.
12. "Sirens" by Dizzee Rascal - if flow, rhymes, inventiveness, giving respect to those who came before you, and just plain having dope skillz are all measures of a proper MC, then this song is what I offer as proof that Dizzee Rascal is one helluva rapper.
11. "The Perfect Me" by Deerhoof - meet me, meet me, meet the perfect Deerhoof song to play for your friends who "don't get it".
10. "Bushels" by Frog Eyes - an epic, this song floors me. An overused phrase, but I'm seriously typing from my floor right now.
9. "Goes Cube Song 46" by Goes Cube - If Goes Cube was hit by a truck and was lying out there in that gutter dying and they had time to sing one song that people would remember before they're dirt, one song that would let God know how they felt about their time here on Earth, one song that would sum them up - I'd tell them to play this one. At least, of what they've released at the moment...
8. "In Our Talons" by Bowerbirds - this song is captivating from the very first thump of the bass drum. By the time they proclaim "you're in our talons now and we're never letting go" I find myself feeling relieved. From the sounds of this one song, there's nearly no place I'd rather be.
7. "No Cars Go" by The Arcade Fire - An earlier version of this was released on their EP from 2003, so is it cheating to include it here? Bah. This version is better, gives me chills somewhere around the 4:33 mark, and happens to be the best song from Neon Bible.
6. "Down Boy" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs - On each and every release from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs there is a song that makes me move my head and hand very deliberately as if I'm on stage - makes me feel like I just might be Karen O. Which, I mean to say, is awesome. Anyway, this is one of those songs.
5. "Plaster Casts Of Everything" by Liars - droning and thrashing, echoing with reverberated chaos, shifting, yet under control. This won't win any awards for poetic lyricism, but it sure does get me going.
4. "He Hit Me" by Grizzly Bear - my, what beautiful brilliance. I could attempt to describe it, but I don't want to. I want you to listen to this - alone - very loudly.
3. "It's Natural To Be Afraid" by Explosions In The Sky - thirteen minutes and twenty seven seconds of Explosions In The Sky at their best. I've spent hours this year listening to this one song. 'Nuff said.
2. "Mistaken For Strangers" by The National - why is this a PERFECT song? Because it just is. And, because I identify with the lyrics. A potent combo that.
1. "Atlas" by Battles - what is this? Did the Chipmunks discover math-rock, metal, jazz, odd time signatures, electronica, high positioning of crash cymbals, and psychedelics (or something) all at once and then cut the top track of 2007 as a result? Yep. Call me mental, but I love it so damn much. Still.

EAR FARM Mike's Top 15 Songs of 2007

15. "Love Song No. 7" by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Textbook sophomore slump or misunderstood artistic statement? Dunno, but if Some Loud Thunder had a few more songs like this it might have actually shown up on more year-end lists.
14. "When the Other Foot Drops, Uncle" by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - The transition that takes place here at 2:24 is one of my favorite musical moments of the year. And aren't these lists all about hyperbole?
13. "While We Go Dancing" by White Rabbits - This slot could have gone to about five different songs from Fort Nightly. This happens to be the one that stays in my head the most.
12. "You Are My Face" by Wilco - So what if it's in a Volkswagen commercial? Wanna fight?
11. "Carbon Dating" by Super Furry Animals - SFA just keep bringing it with every album. This song is absolutely gorgeous, the prettiest of the year perhaps.
10. "War Hero" by Antibalas - This song has it all. Amazing rhythms, ace musicianship, clever melodies, call-and-response vocals....wow.
9. "Don't You Evah" by Spoon - Being introduced to this song live elevated it from a great song to an instant classic. Thanks Britt.
8. "Patty Lee" by Les Savy Fav - I don't know if I could hang with Tim Harrington, but this song makes me wanna try.
7. "The Mending of the Gown" by Sunset Rubdown - I can picture the intro to this playing repeatedly inside Tracy Morgan's head. Isn't that enough?
6. "Brainy" by The National - Everyone's all "this album is a creeper" and "watch out, it'll creep up on you" and I'm like "I can make my own mistakes, thanks!" Whoa, it just creeped up on me, wasn't expecting that. Brainy brainy brainy!
5. "Heimdelsgate Like a Promethean Curse" by Of Montreal - Tastes great. Less filling. Catchy as hell.
4. "Take Pills" by Panda Bear - See no. 5. Oh, and isn't it weird how all these songs about medication are the catchiest?
3. "House of Cards" by Radiohead - Thank you thank you thank you for deciding to privilege melody once again guys.
2. "Derek" by Animal Collective - What do you get when you cross the riff from the opening credits of True Romance with sing-song melodies and tribal drumming? A very happy Mike.
1. "Good To Sea" by Pinback - The best song of the year is also the best pop song of the year too, straight up candy-coated bubblegum bliss. Take that Rihanna.

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See also:
- EAR FARM's Top Ten Bands To Emerge in 2007 & Ten To Watch Out For in 2008
- EAR FARM's Top Concerts of 2007

Tomorrow:
EAR FARM's Top 8+s Of 2007

Graveyard

Do the four wooly gents above look like gravediggers (or alternately, Gravediggaz)? I would say not. Do they look the kind of dudes who would post-up after hours in a graveyard pounding Schlitz's (or the Swedish equivalents) and making blood oaths? Getting warmer...and just maybe that's how this four-piece from Gothenburg, Sweden got such an austere name. Maybe. But it's a bit more likely they decided to call themselves Graveyard to reflect the dark and menacing vibe of their music.

And as someone who tends to avoid bands and music described as "dark and menacing" in favor of "bright and cheerful", I'm kind of surprised with how much I've been enjoying their self-titled debut LP (out Feb. 19th on Tee Pee Records).

Shockingly, they've been together for a little over a year, having only formed in November of 2006. After recording a 2-song demo, the original quartet - Bikar Edlund (bass), Axel Sjoberg (drums), Joakim Nilsson (guitar/vocals) and Truls Murce (guitar/vocals) - banged out this fantastic full-length with Swedish super-producer Don Ahlstenburg (Soundtrack of our Lives, The International Noise Conspiracy, Jose Gonzalez). Shortly thereafter, Murce was replaced with guitarist/vocalist Jonathan Ramm to flesh out their current lineup. Phew, busy year.

It's hard to believe Graveyard's sound has been forged within such a short gestation period. This is riff rock ladies and gents, thunderous, cavernous RIFFS that get into your skull and make you do that annoying upper-lip curl when listening to it. In this sense, Graveyard's music hearkens back to Black Sabbath and Blue Cheer, yet the most evident influence I hear throughout their music is from a little power-trio called Cream. It's as though Graveyard spent a good 6 of the last 13 months of their existence holed up listening to their dad's copy of Disraeli Gears. I don't mean that as an insult at all. They honestly couldn't find a better source of raw, dark, blues-based riffage to draw inspiration from than the world's first super-group.

The Cream comparison also gains legs when listening to the vocals, which at times are eerily reminiscent of Jack Bruce (as in the case of the track offered below). I'm not sure how the band shares singing duties but if one of the vocalists apes Bruce, the other is clearly Chris Cornell, lending some formidable pipes to muscular tracks like "Submarine Blues" and the awesome "Lost In Confusion". Interestingly, these tracks also boast guitar lines that could have oozed forth from Kim Thayil's fingertips. Point is, if you ever wanted a Soundgarden reunion, a few of these songs are a worthy place to start.

Graveyard succeeds where other riff-based bands run out of gas because of their admirable ability to respect thy riff. Instead of flatly chugging along for nine songs, they expertly contrast their gift for riffs with more open and (dare I say it) laid-back passages, creating a lingering tension and push and pull that's irresistible. So get out your Ouija board and ask it the following: will Graveyard's album rock me in the new year? Wait, you're totally moving it, aren't you? You're not?! Creepy...

Listen: "As The Years Pass By, The Hours Bend"

Visit Graveyard on MySpace.

OPP

Brian Wilson: tortured genius, visionary, legend, camp counselor?

Webster Hall, one of EF's least favorite music venues, said to be upgraded to landmark status

Yeasayer hits the road for a looooong tour in 2008

Rumors fly that Led Zeppelin will be playing a three-night residency at Madison Square Garden

Check out the Onion A.V. Club's picks for best music of 2007

iTunes unveils its top-selling albums and singles of '07

EAR FARM's Top Ten Bands To Emerge in 2007 & Ten To Watch Out For in 2008

What do Bowerbirds, Yeasayer, and Vampire Weekend have in common? They're all featured in EAR FARM's list of the top ten bands to "emerge" in 2007. How about Dead Confederate, The Secret Life Of Sofia, and Le Loup?? Just a few bands to be on the lookout for in 2008. After the jump you'll find seven more bands that EAR FARM deems to be the rest of the top ten bands to "emerge" in 2007, followed by seven others to watch out for in 2008. Keep in mind the fact that the term "emerge" is a bit nebulous, but don't let that keep you from yelling at us in the comments. Both lists are in alphabetical order and you'll have to click through to read about/listen to them. So do it.

EAR FARM's Top Ten Bands To Emerge in 2007

A Place To Bury Strangers - Bang. Zoom. Bop. Dead ears. Happy ears. I'm so glad the rest of the country (aka Pitchfork and their minions) finally caught on in 2007. - Matt

Listen: "To Fix The Gash In Your Head"

Arthur & Yu - the first EF post about this band was in May 2006, but 2007 was the year they brought their music to the masses with In Camera, their largely underrated/ignored debut album. - Matt

Listen: "Come to View (Song For Neil Young)"

Battles - though they had released a few EPs prior to 2007, it wasn't until this year that Battles fully blasted into the hearts and minds of avant-garde/math rock fans everywhere. This was the sound of my summer. - Matt

Listen: "Atlas"

Bowerbirds - This band (and each of their songs on their album Hymns For A Dark Horse) makes me think of home. Funny, that's exactly where they're from. And it makes me proud and happy to know that such great music is still alive and well in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area. - Matt

Listen: "In Our Talons"

Dirty Projectors - To be fair, I found myself more impressed with the concept of Rise Above - ie repurposed Black Flag album - than the actual result. However, there's no denying the impressive year Dave Longstreth has had. - Mike

Listen: "No More"

Panda Bear - Stepping out from the rest of the Animal Collective stable, Noah Lennox's second solo album Person Pitch may have edged out My Morning Jacket's Z to earn the prestigious "most reverb featured on a single album" award. A sugary sweet shot to the dome. Congrats! - Mike

Listen: "Take Pills"

St. Vincent - Slowly, but surely, Annie Clark took over my stereo with more frequency as Summer turned to Fall in 2007. You too? I was a doubter at first but not anymore. She's created music that's funny, yet sad; charming, yet dark; simple, yet complex. An amazing debut, and quite a year for St. Vincent. - Matt

Listen: "Now Now"

Vampire Weekend - I "discovered" Vampire Weekend way back in January of 2007, some four months before the Stereogum post about them. Why does that matter? Am I claiming "first" on that shit? Did I know what was in store for this band in 2007? It doesn't matter, I don't play the "first" game, and I had no idea. But well done boys - for better or worse, Vampire Weekend was the "blog band" of 2007. - Matt

Listen: "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa"

White Rabbits - This is a perfect example of when rolling six deep and playing together, on top of another and against one another just WORKS. Every member of this posse is put to good use on Fort Nightly. I cannot wait to see them live this Thursday. - Mike

Listen: "Kid On My Shoulders"

Yeasayer - As dutifully reported during CMJ, seeing Yeasayer live was something of a revelation. Their debut album All Hour Cymbals may not completely live up to the awesomeness of their live show, but it's still fantastic and frankly, what could? See them asap. - Mike

Listen: "2080"

EAR FARM's Top Ten Bands To Watch Out For in 2008

Dead Confederate - like Band of Horses would sound if they'd spent their summers reading The Catcher in the Rye and listening to The Verve instead of grabbing ass at The Okra Strut. - Matt

Listen: "The Rat"

Duffy - simultaneously steals your heart and breaks it in almost every measure, this is sultry '60s inspired pop rehash at its finest. Someone named Duffy gonna be a star. - Matt

Listen: "Rockferry"

Evangelicals - True, we first saw them in 2006, so why say they're emerging in the Ocho? Let's just wait for their new album The Evening Descends to drop on Jan 22nd for the answer. Told you so's are forthcoming. - Mike

Listen: "The Last Christmas On Earth"

Helvetia - A very recent discovery with an outstanding album due in March followed by a tour with Built to Spill, sounds like the blueprint for a breakout year. - Mike

Listen: "Harbored"

Le Loup - You could argue they're already blowing up, and you're right! But, isn't it possible they could blow up even more, like in a Michael Bay movie when a building keeps exploding from like 37 different angles? Think about it. - Mike

Listen: "we are gods! we are wolves!"

Project Jenny, Project Jan - they could've been on the 2007 list above, but I think there are bigger things than blog hype in store for this duo in 2008. If they'd come up 25 years ago they'd be MTV superstars by now. - Matt

Listen: "320"

Sam Champion - Beloved hometown heroes, the pieces are all in place for NYC's best to melt transcontinental faces with a new EP and album on the horizon. - Mike

Listen: "Your Party Was Yesterday"

The Secret Life Of Sofia - when this band "emerges" it will be after years of a solid base of NYC fans telling anyone who will listen to check them out. Their new album is very high on my list of what I'm looking forward to in 2008. - Matt

Listen: Stream various new tracks on their MySpace page

Throw Me The Statue - I always thought the quote from Raiders of the Lost Ark was "Throw me the idol!". Update: I just checked imdb and I'm right. So don't you trust me now when I say big things are in store for this band? - Mike

Listen: "Lolita"

The Ting Tings - back in July of 2007 I swore this band was ready to explode. Not totally happened yet - hm. Well if it doesn't happen in '08, then my cat is right, "All ya'll bitches stoopid." - Matt

Listen: "That's Not My Name"

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See also:
EAR FARM's Top Concerts of 2007

Tomorrow:
EAR FARM's Top Songs Of 2007

Three for Free - Black Mountain, Black Moth Super Rainbow, and Blackalicious

EAR FARM's Three for Free: three EF approved, free and legal MP3s posted each week. This week, my favorite: BLACK. Click on the artist name to go to their site, click on the song name to listen to the song.

Listen:
Black Mountain - "Tyrants"

Black Moth Super Rainbow - "Spiracle"

Blackalicious - "Powers"

Hangar 18: Bloggers vs. Rockers - Week 14

Week 14 of Hangar 18: the Bloggers v. Rockers Fantasy Football League was also the first week of the playoffs. So...you're no doubt breathlessly wondering what happened with the Mancino squad (team name: Metric Ewing)? Um, we lost....a mere four points from advancing but a loss all the same. Congrats to the Muggabears for besting us in the first round and moving on to face the other EAR FARM squad (Matt's team Mother Puncher) in the second round. As for us, there's always next year right?

Click below to keep reading and see the results from this past week, this week's playoff matchups, our current rosters and the league's theme song.

Rockers vs. Bloggers Fantasy Football Week 14 Results:

The Muggabears (101) defeated Mancino (97)
Margot (87) defeated My Old Kentucky Blog (73)

Rockers vs. Bloggers Fantasy Football Week 15 Playoff Matchups:

EAR FARM (2) (vs) The Muggabears (3)
Arizona (1) (vs) Margot (5)

Mancino's (team name Metric Ewing) final roster (RIP):

QB: Tom Brady (NE)
RB: Justin Fargas (Oak)
RB: Kolby Smith (KC)
WR: Lee Evans (Buf)
WR: Sidney Rice (Min)
WR: Roddy White (Atl)
TE: Benjamin Watson (NE)
D: New England
K: Shayne Graham (Cin)
BN: LenDale White (RB - Ten)
BN: Laurence Maroney (RB - NE)
BN: Donte' Stallworth (WR - NE)

AND

EAR FARM's (team name Mother Puncher) current roster:

QB: Derek Anderson (Cle)
RB: Joseph Addai (Ind)
RB: Adrian Peterson (Min)
WR: Dwayne Bowe (KC)
WR: Torry Holt (StL)
WR: Kevin Curtis (Phi)
TE: Jeremy Shockey (NYG)
D: New York Giants
K: Jeff Reed (Pit)
BN: Deion Branch (WR - Sea)
BN: Selvin Young (RB - Den)
BN: Chester Taylor (RB - Min)


Listen:
"Hangar 18" by Megadeth

Today's NEW Releases

Yet again, not that much, present company excluded:

• Radiohead - Radiohead (seven disc box set)
• Wu-Tang Clan - 8 Diagrams
• Cheyenne - The Whale (updated)
  

What else?

OPP (Whole Lotta Zep edition)

Los Angeles Times: Led Zeppelin rocks again in London

NY Times: Led Zep finds its power in tempos more graceful than their old live recordings

Rolling Stone hunts down the first YouTube clips of last night's Zeppelin reunion show

As rumors increase, fans demand Zeppelin world tour after show

And finally, the reunion set list

EAR FARM's Top Concerts of 2007

Below are the concerts featured (in chronological order) in EAR FARM's Top Concerts of 2007. You'll have to click through to read about/see pictures from the shows and to listen to all of the MP3s, so do it. Click the little bit at the bottom there that says "Click HERE to continue reading/view comments..." it'll be worth it. When possible, a live MP3/Quicktime from the corresponding show has been posted.

EAR FARM's Top 15 Concerts of 2007
- Man Man @ Bowery Ballroom - 5 January 2007 (Listen: "Bulls On Parade" LIVE from this show)
- Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks with Deerhoof (and others) @ Irving Plaza - 10 February 2007
- Jarvis Cocker @ Webster Hall - 23 April 2007
- Spoon @ Bowery Ballroom - 23 April 2007
- Wilco @ Hammerstein Ballroom - 25 June 2007
- Menomena @ South Street Seaport - 13 July 2007
- Slint @ Webster Hall - 17 July 2007
- Goes Cube @ Bowery Ballroom - 24 August 2007
- Sebadoh @ Club Europa - 2 September 2007
- Megadeth @ Irving Plaza - 26 September 2007
- British Sea Power @ Maxwell's - 15 October 2007
- The Walkmen @ Avalon - 17 October 2007
- A Place to Bury Strangers with The Secret Life of Sofia (and others) @ The Delancey - 20 October 2007
- Morrissey @ Hammerstein Ballroom - 27 October 2007 (Listen: "Death Of A Disco Dancer" LIVE from this show)
- Grizzy Bear @ The Society for Ethical Culture - 3 November 2007

Man Man @ Bowery Ballroom - 5 January 2007 (above photo taken by Matt)

Matt: Was that Man Man show at Bowery this year?! Seems like a lifetime ago... I bet Mike doesn't even remember it. Anyway, THAT was one helluva concert. It was sold out and everyone in the entire venue couldn't have been happier to be there, especially Man Man. They played their hearts out and delivered an experience that was nearly as good as/probably much better than when I saw them @ Cakeshop. This was easily one of my favorite shows of 2007.

Mike: I certainly do remember this show, kind of. One thing I love about Man Man shows is the implicit sense of community amongst the crowd. It's like everyone is strapped in together on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney World singing "Yo Ho Ho" and passing around an invisible barrel of grog. This may not seem like it, but that's one of the highest compliments I can think of to give a band. Bravo men.

Listen: "Bulls On Parade" LIVE from this show (Rage Against The Machine cover)
Read: EAR FARM's original post about Man Man @ Bowery Ballroom

Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks (pictured above), Deerhoof, Tokyo Police Club, Silversun Pickups, and El-P @ PLUG Awards (Fillmore NY @ Irving Plaza) - 10 February 2007 (above photos taken by Matt)

Mike: This show gets a free pass to the "best of" list simply because of the Malkmus factor. If you haven't figured it out yet, let's apply one of those SAT verbal tests to help: Malkmus is to Mike as Morrissey is to Matt. Simple enough. The PLUG Awards were kind of weird though. There was a sense of looming chaos and disorganization palpable throughout the event, but one thing I appreciated was the clear focus on the live performances. Instead of playing one or two songs apiece, each band got to play almost entirely full sets. My lasting memory of the evening was accosting Satomi from Deerhoof after their set and wishing her a happy birthday. She's like 4'10" and the look of sheer horror on her face as a drunken 6'3" jackass fought through the crowd to shout happy birthday will never be forgotten. The runner-up for visual memory of the evening goes to Malkmus' mustache. Matt had mustache envy for weeks to come methinks.

Matt: I went to this show for two reasons: one, because I got free tickets, and two, to see Deerhoof. They're a "music for music geeks" kind of band; not everyone's cup of tea, but a blast to see in person. And they brought it to the max at the PLUG Awards. Equally awesome were Malkmus and the Jicks - not so much for Silversun Pickups. However, the surprise show stopper for me was El-P, who gave a performance that I partially missed, yet somehow couldn't stop thinking about. It set the course for me to want to hear his album I'll Sleep When You're Dead again and again throughout 2007. And yes, the Malkmus mustache did give me mustache envy. So I grew my own, wore it out in public, got creeped out by how obviously creeped out my new mustache made every woman I encountered, and shaved. It was an influential show, this one.

Watch: Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks play three songs live at Plug Awards (Quicktime)
Read: EAR FARM's original post about the Plug Awards

Jarvis Cocker @ Webster Hall - 23 April 2007 (above photo taken by Matt)

Matt: Though I've watched many videos, listened to countless bootlegs and imagined the energy and thrill of seeing them in person, I've never seen Pulp live. So I knew this was going to be a big night for me, regardless of who else was on stage with Jarvis. I mean, JARVIS COCKER. I'd have shown up at Webster Hall even if his solo record wasn't very good, but oh but it is. You may remember it appearing at #10 on EF's top albums of 2006? Yeah. And the live show was every bit as mesmerizing, charismatic, moody, and wonderful as I could've imagined. It was one of those shows that got better the more I thought back on it, and made me like the album Jarvis even more.

Listen: "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time" from Jarvis
Read: EAR FARM's original post about Jarvis Cocker @ Webster Hall

Spoon @ Bowery Ballroom - 23 April 2007 (photo taken from here)

Mike: Notice how this and Jarvis were on the same night. While Matt was busy making imaginary coke-bottle glasses with his hands in front of the mirror, I had the good fortune of seeing a straight-up Amurrican ass-kicking rock & roll show. I've seen Spoon a bunch of times and can safely say that this was by far the best. Billed as a secret show, it essentially gave Britt Daniel a chance to chug through most of Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga three months before it would come out. It also marked perhaps the last time New York will ever see them at a mid-size venue. One thing I kept marveling at throughout the show was that Britt OWNS the stage and completely works the audience with well-placed lip sneers, hip shakes and stutter-steps. He's a 21st century Tom Petty.

Listen: "Don't You Evah" from Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Read: Stereogum's post about Spoon @ Bowery Ballroom

Wilco @ Hammerstein Ballroom - 25 June 2007 (photo taken from here)

Matt: I hate Hammerstein so much. It is too large, old and uncared for, a big pain to get drinks/go to the bathroom, and (most importantly) the sound generally sucks. Though the sound issue can be overcome by certain bands, a lot of these issues are compounded if you make the mistake of showing up to the venue late, which was exactly the case for us with this Wilco show. I feel like we weren't even that late either, but whatever. It took a good five songs for me to find a suitable spot and let go of my severe Hammerstein grumpies; but when I did, Wilco took over and did what they do best. Namely, deliver another outstanding live performance. Does anybody doubt that they're one of America's top three active bands?

Mike: Yes, the downside was that we arrived a bit late and were forced to sulk in the rear of the atrocious Hammerstein for the entirety of their set. It was literally impossible to wade through the crowd, I tried at least twice before giving up and salvaging what I could - which was quite a bit - from the show. Tweedy was positively charming and visibly happy to be back in New York (their first show here since their amazing New Year's Eve show at MSG with the Flaming Lips in '04). The true payoff for me, however, was seeing Nels Cline play live for the first time. I try hard on most occasions to keep my inner guitar-dork quelled but holy shit he is a ridiculously talented and incredible musician. Six strings of magic yo.

Listen: "You Are My Face" from Sky Blue Sky
Read: Brooklyn Vegan's post about Wilco @ Hammerstein Ballroom

Menomena @ South Street Seaport - 13 July 2007 (photo taken from here)

Mike: Well I sincerely miss those heavy metal bands I used to go see on the landing in the summer....yes, Menomena absolutely killed it at this show. All summer long the sound mix at SSS had been awful, reducing bands' sounds to discombobulated pockets of muddy bass and tinny treble. For this show, I naturally assumed the worst in advance. I had never seen Menomena live and was unconvinced that they could fill the massive sonic void of Pier 17. With expertly triggered samples, impeccable musicianship and innovative arrangements, they reminded me of what an outdoor summer concert should be: loud, joyful, and overpowering. Even the people at Pizzeria Uno were rocking out.

Listen: "The Pelican" from Friend and Foe
Read: Paste's post about Menomena @ South Street Seaport

Slint @ Webster Hall - 17 July 2007 (above photo taken by Matt)

Matt: The timing for this show couldn't have been any better for me, personally. I'd just spent most of April, May, and June obsessing (all over again) over Spiderland and coming to the conclusion that it was the greatest record made in the past 20 years. I went into the show expecting the worst - they'd cancelled one of the planned two shows in a row, friends had told me that Slint wasn't so great in concert, and I had serious doubts about how the vocals and hushed moments of Spiderland would come across in a live setting (especially at Crapster Hall). Turns out it was a nearly perfect show. The sound, the band, the audience, the overall mood/atmosphere... seeing Slint play Spiderland in its entirety was without a doubt one of my favorite concert moments of 2007, if not my most favorite.

Listen: "Nosferatu Man" from Spiderland
Read: EAR FARM's original post about Slint @ Webster Hall

Goes Cube @ Bowery Ballroom - 24 August 2007 (above photo taken by Matt)

Matt: There are literally a slew of Goes Cube shows I attended this year that could've made this list... perhaps the show @ Larimer Lounge in Denver, or the one at the Elbo Room in Chicago, or the one at the Viper Room in LA, or the homecoming show @ Mercury Lounge (big ups to David from GC, Nerd Litter, and Taylor for helping create my favorite concert photo of the year at that show)... each of those shows were outstanding in their own right. However, none of them matched the brilliance - the size of the audience and fan-fucking-tastic sound - of the night that Goes Cube assaulted Bowery Ballroom. Love.

Listen: "Goes Cube Song 48" from their MySpace page
Read: EAR FARM's original post about Goes Cube @ Bowery Ballroom

Sebadoh @ Club Europa - 2 September 2007 (above photo taken by Matt)

Matt: This was the best of the five Sebadoh shows I've ever seen, and honestly I was a bit surprised. Maybe it's just that we always got bad shows in Chapel Hill, but for this set in Brooklyn all three guys "brought it" in a very friendly, familiar, relaxed yet rocking, manner that made for a great show. That the setlist was nearly perfectly comprised of all of the songs I wanted to hear was an added/unexpected bonus. An all around awesome concert.

Watch: "Soul and Fire" LIVE from this show (Quicktime)
Read: EAR FARM's original post about Sebadoh @ Club Europa

Megadeth @ Irving Plaza - 26 September 2007 (above photo taken by Matt)

Matt: What?! Oh sorry, I can't hear you because I was at the MEGADETH SHOW AT IRVING PLAZA and you weren't. Idiot. Dave Mustaine was sick for this show (and by sick, I mean not feeling well, but his guitar playing was also sick), yet he soldiered on and delivered (easily) one of my favorite shows of the year. Top three perhaps.

Watch: "Holy Wars" LIVE from this show (on YouTube)
Read: EAR FARM's original post about Megadeth @ Irving Plaza


British Sea Power @ Maxwell's - 15 October 2007 (above photo taken by Matt)

Matt: Wow, I'm not sure there could've been a better venue for me to see my first British Sea Power show in nearly two years than at Maxwells. The sound was cranked waaay up and the band blasted through their set, which included quite a few new songs I'd not yet heard. If we were ranking this list, this show would've been near the bottom of my top shows of the year, but still a top show regardless. Unfortunately, British Sea Power is going to always have a tough time living up to the magic of the first three shows I saw them play; however, they remain one of my most favorite current bands and always put on an extremely worthwhile live show.

Watch: "Remember Me" LIVE from this show (Quicktime)
Read: EAR FARM's original post about British Sea Power @ Maxwell's

The Walkmen @ Avalon (CMJ) - 17 October 2007 (above photo taken by Mike)

Mike: With CMJ only 24 hours old and another 72 long hours from completion, I was already a bit tired and over-saturated with live music by the time I arrived alone to this show. Don't worry, I stopped feeling bad for myself as soon as the Walkmen took the stage to a mostly empty Avalon and ripped through an amazing set of old and new songs in what amounted to a front row, seemingly semi-private performance by one of my favorite bands. This was the highlight of my entire CMJ week.

Listen: "Lemon Hill" from their MySpace page
Read: EAR FARM's original post about The Walkmen @ Avalon

A Place to Bury Strangers (pictured above), The Secret Life Of Sofia, Chop Shop, El Jezel, Gold Streets, Man In Gray, Mancino, Up The Empire, and The Vandelles @ The Delancey (StereoactiveNYC/Hot Rocks CMJ show) - 20 October 2007 (above photo taken by Matt)

Matt: Though I already knew that I adored both A Place to Bury Strangers and The Secret Life Of Sofia, their sets at this Stereoactive/Hot Rocks CMJ show kind of took me by surprise. Mostly because they both simply blew me away. Especially TSLOS. I can not wait to hear and see this band continue to evolve and grow. They're one of the most underrated bands in New York at the moment. Wait until the rest of the world gets a load of them. A Place to Bury Strangers, well, they play my kind of music. And they do it unbelievably well. Oh, and don't think this show would be mentioned if all of the bands on this bill didn't put on really great shows, because they did. But A Place to Bury Strangers and The Secret Life Of Sofia were tops on this night that ended up as my favorite show of all of CMJ.

Mike: It feels weird talking about this show as Mancino (and only two-thirds of Mancino at that) was a part of it, so it's sort of a conflict of interest. What I did really enjoy from this night was The Secret Life of Sofia. I'm incredibly impressed by how their new songs have blossomed live and really can't wait to hear their upcoming album.

Watch: "To Fix The Gash In Your Head" LIVE from this show (Quicktime)
Read: EAR FARM's original post about the StereoactiveNYC/Hot Rocks CMJ Showcase @ The Delancey

Morrissey @ Hammerstein Ballroom - 27 October 2007 (above photo taken by a different Matt)

Matt: It makes sense, thinking back, why this would end up as my favorite of the five Morrissey concerts I saw this year. It was concert #4 out of 5, so I knew the final concert was nearing. We all knew it (the audience, Morrissey, the lads in the band) and as a result, it turned out to be the big finish of Morrissey's run at Hammerstein, with the final concert on Sunday existing as more of a "cool down". For the show on Saturday night the stars were all aligned perfectly: Morrissey's voice was in top form, the setlist nearly perfect, and my location on the floor couldn't have been any better. Perfection. Or, maybe it was simply my company at the concert and the ramen at Momofuku after the show that made the night so wonderful... whatever the case, a top three concert of 2007.

Listen: "Death Of A Disco Dancer" LIVE from this show (originally a song by The Smiths, found HERE)
Read: EAR FARM's original post about Morrissey @ Hammerstein Ballroom

Grizzy Bear @ The Society for Ethical Culture - 3 November 2007 (above photo taken by Mike)

Mike: Hands down the best show of the year, and perhaps one of the best shows I've ever seen. Not much else I can say about it that I didn't cover in my fanboy manifesto below.

Listen: "He Hit Me" from Friend EP
Read: EAR FARM's original post about Grizzly Bear @ The Society for Ethical Culture

Now, what were your favorite shows of 2007?

Hit-or-miss

Listen:
"Hilary" by The Fall from The Complete Peel Sessions 1978-2004

View:
Image search results for Hilary (NSFW if you have SafeSearch off) - above image is from the third page of results (and was originally from HERE).
--
In the recent past these songs were featured in Hit-or-miss posts:
"The Weight Of A Rock" by Marnie Stern
"Where There's a Will There's a Whalebone" by Islands
"Pretender" by Madonna
"Talk Dirty to Me" by Poison
"Bandits" by Midlake
"Girlfriend" by Bobby Brown
"Slow Action Is The Best Action" by Run Chico Run
"Half A Person" by The Smiths

To see a full list of every song featured in EAR FARM's Hit-or-miss (and to find out just what this Hit-or-miss is) click HERE.

OPP

Built To Spill announces another epic tour

Idolator: Stereogum is worth $5 million

"Kashmir" is top-voted song fans want to hear at Led Zeppeling reunion tonight

Pitchfork: The Year In News, Part 1

NY Times profiles Radiohead and the making of In Rainbows

MOKB's Top 50 Albums of '07

The Nine Most Unnecessary Greatest Hits Albums of All Time

New EAR FARM Banners

Beginning today you will see a few new additions to the rotation of the EAR FARM banners* at the top of the page. We're excited and happy to have a total of nine new designs; and you can view, and find out who designed, each one after the jump.

New Banners



The above is an original work painted by Sarah for EAR FARM - visit her site HERE.



The above was done by Franz - you can visit his site HERE.



Above designed by Tammy from OrangeYouGlad.





Above three banners designed by Veronica from OrangeYouGlad.



Above designed by Leon from OrangeYouGlad.



Above designed by Deanna from OrangeYouGlad.



Above designed by Ben from Empowered Designs.



Above designed by Bryan from Subinev.


Old Banners Still In The Rotation





Above three banners designed by Jonathan from DSTRY SPACE.



Above designed by Ben from Empowered Designs.



Above is the original EAR FARM banner designed by me.

*a big huge thank you goes out to everyone who has designed something for EAR FARM - you guys make the site nice to look at. if you're an artist who would like your design considered for inclusion in EAR FARM's banner rotation please get in touch.

EAR FARM: The Near Future

A brief note to the EAR FARM faithful...

Beginning next week EAR FARM is going to undergo some very minor changes to the formatting of our posts, to the sidebar on the right, and to the rotating banners up top. In a nutshell, it'll make things better and you'll barely even notice. Except the new banners, you'll notice them. Look for some new hotness in EAR FARM's banner rotation beginning on Monday. If you're an artist who would like your design considered for inclusion in EAR FARM's banner rotation please get in touch.

As well, we're going to start featuring daily news and links to posts on other music blogs/sites in a revised version of EF's well-known OPP feature. In our world OPP stands for Other Peoples' Posts, and to this end you'll now be able to get a daily fix of relevant and fun links handpicked for you by EAR FARM.

More importantly, next week is going to be... YEAR END LIST WEEK here on EAR FARM. Stay tuned all week for the following LISTS:

Monday - EAR FARM's Top Concerts of 2007
Tuesday - EAR FARM's Top Bands To Emerge in 2007
Wednesday - EAR FARM's Top Songs Of 2007
Thursday - EAR FARM's Top 8+s of 2007
Friday - EAR FARM's Top Albums of 2007

EAR FARM's Beatles Cover Song Mix

Below you will find mix number five out of five that has come about as a result of EAR FARM's Thanksgiving Mix Contest. Well, there are ten mixes actually, but five that I'm posting on EAR FARM this week. If you're someone who entered the contest and won (and I've been in contact with you about a mix) who hasn't yet received your very own mix, you'll get yours shortly. In fact, it might just show up here on EF in the near future. Patience.

For now, we've got twenty two Beatles songs to take us into the weekend. The theme for the final mix of this week was suggested by Pete. A simple request, a complex mix to put together: "So, how about a mix based around Beatles covers?" You got it.

EAR FARM's Beatles Cover Song Mix
1. "Taxman" by Nickel Creek
2. "Eleanor Rigby" by Aretha Franklin
3. "Got to Get You Into My Life" by Diana Ross
4. "And Your Bird Can Sing" by Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs
5. "I Saw Her Standing There" by Daniel Johnston
6. "Please Please Me" by Link Wray
7. "I Feel Fine" by The Ventures
8. "Everybody's Got Something To Hide (Except Me And My Monkey)" by The Feelies
9. "Michelle" by Andy Williams
10. "Run For Your Life" by Nancy Sinatra
11. "Get Back" by Ike & Tina Turner
12. "All You Need Is Love" by Echo & the Bunnymen
13. "In My Life" by Johnny Cash
14. "I Will" by Alison Krauss & Tony Furtado
15. "Dear Prudence" by Siouxsie & the Banshees
16. "Across the Universe" by David Bowie
17. "Lady Madonna (Informal Recording)" by Elvis Presley
18. "She's Leaving Home" by Billy Bragg
19. "Within You Without You" by Sonic Youth
20. "It's All Too Much" by The Church
21. "Golden Slumbers/Carry that Weight/The End" by Phil Collins
22. "Tomorrow Never Knows" by Little Junior Parker

Download the entire mix as a ZIP HERE.

See also:
- EAR FARM's 10 Songs by Sassy Magazine 'Cute Band Alert' Bands (and yes, I did some research) Mix
- EAR FARM's Saxophone Mix
- EAR FARM's Gambling Mix
- EAR FARM's Chemistry Mix

Reminder: ARC Holiday Record & CD Sale Starts TOMORROW

What is ARC? ARC is the ARChive of Contemporary Music, a not-for-profit archive and research center and the world's largest collection of popular music. Board members include David Bowie, Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller, Lou Reed, Martin Scorsese, Keith Richards, Paul Simon, and Fred Schneider.
--
From Saturday December 8th through Sunday December 16th, ARC will be open to the general public from 11am to 6pm for a holiday sale. Their press release states the following:

WHAT TO EXPECT
Admission is free! New items daily. Over 20,000 items for sale

Rough Trade CDs, Reggae from Trojan + Sanctuary
CDs are NEW donations from record companies, NOT used, returns or defects!
Mostly pop and rock recordings. Collectible LPs are priced below book value.
Hundreds of CDs are priced at $1 to $5 each. cassettes $1.00 ea./ 12 for $10.
Just released NEW & HOT CDs are $5 - $10, MOST LPS $1 +
BEST DEAL = BOXES of 125 Pop, Soundtrack or Classical LPs = $5 a BOX

PLUS
CHRISTMAS Records, TONS of Film Soundtrack & Broadway LPs + CDs - MOST for a BUCK, Signed records * 100s of sealed/unopened LPs (Aretha, Troggs, Smiths), BEATLES and more BEATLES LPs, African & world-music * Classical LPs $1 or LESS each! Vintage punk, new wave & classic rock LPs * music books * videos * 7" singles + For the dis-en-vinyled our Astroturf Yardsale of 50s kitchen stuff and clothing!!!

Location: At our ground floor office: 54 White St. Three short blocks south of Canal, between Broadway & Church in Tribeca. Take the 1 train to Franklin, or any train to Canal.
--
Back to EF....

So all of the above is a reminder, essentially retreading territory covered on the bloated day after Thanksgiving, but perhaps the tryptophan made you forget about this sale, so there you go.

The deal is that the ARC holds onto two copies of all recordings released in America and so all of these sale items will be the third copies of such recordings. Call it a large-scale cleaning of the closet, call it a Christmas miracle, call it what you want, but EAR FARM will definitely be checking this out. Will you?

EAR FARM's 10 Songs by Sassy Magazine 'Cute Band Alert' Bands (and yes, I did some research) Mix

Below you will find mix number four out of five that has come about as a result of EAR FARM's Thanksgiving Mix Contest. The theme for this particular mix was suggested by Deborah. Her request: "10 Songs by Sassy Magazine 'Cute Band Alert' Bands... and yes, you'll probably need to do some research." Awesome. I actually loved reading up on Sassy and digging around to find out which bands were featured in their Cute Band Alert column. Some great ones, to be sure. If I was a girl growing up in the early '90s I'd probably be lamenting the loss of such a well put together magazine directed at young women. Oh Sassy, I never even knew you.

EAR FARM's 10 Songs by Sassy Magazine 'Cute Band Alert' Bands (and yes, I did some research) Mix
1. "Throwing Things" by Superchunk
2. "Over the Shoulder" by Bullet Lavolta
3. "The Mollusk" by Ween
4. "Bulletproof Cupid" by Girls Against Boys
5. "Audrey's Eyes" by Velocity Girl
6. "Let Yourself Get Down" by Luscious Jackson
7. "Weedking" by Guided By Voices
8. "Only Tongue Can Tell" by Trashcan Sinatras
9. "What's There to Decide?" by Sloan
10. "Blues X Man" by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

Download the entire mix as a ZIP HERE.

See also:
- EAR FARM's Saxophone Mix
- EAR FARM's Gambling Mix
- EAR FARM's Chemistry Mix

New Malkmus Album Update!

Yesterday was just a good news sandwich, a slice of Silver Jews album news in the morning followed by an update on the Malkman's forthcoming album later in the afternoon. So, what was the meat you wonder? Stop being so literal.

Instead, bask in the news put forth by Pitchfork and Billboard about Real Emotional Trash. Here's the deal: the fourth post-Pavement outing for SM will be released on March 4th by Matador Records under the billing of Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks and not simply Stephen Malkmus (like 2005's Face the Truth). It will also mark the recorded debut of former Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss. What else? How's bout the 10-song tracklist:

"Dragonfly Pie"
"Hopscotch Willie"
"Cold Son"
"Real Emotional Trash"
"Out of Reaches"
"Baltimore"
"Gardenia"
"Elmo Delmo"
"We Can't Help You"
"Wicked Wanda"

I'll say it again - 2008 is going to be a very choice year for music.

Listen:
"Pencil Rot"

8+

“The Mariner's Revenge Song” by The Decemberists which clocks in at 8:46

"A tale of betrayal, obsession, and fishy things"

So reads the subtitle of the first page (above) of Douglas Holgate's excellent seven page picture play illustrated to accompany “The Mariner's Revenge Song” by The Decemberists. For this week's 8+, I suggest downloading the above song and clicking through the seven pages of said picture play. To make things easy for you, the links to each page are posted below. All images were originally found at the House of Skullduggery.

Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

Or, to view the entire seven panel work in one file pasted together click HERE.

Buy Picaresque on Amazon/on iTunes.

EAR FARM's 8+ is a weekly feature that showcases songs longer than 8 minutes. In the recent past these songs were featured on EF's 8+:
Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Free Bird"
Ludwig van Beethoven - "Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 - Allegretto"
Gioachino Rossini - "La gazza ladra (The Thieving Magpie)"
The Fiery Furnaces - “Inspector Blancheflower”
Morrissey - "Moon River"
Miles Davis - "So What”
Tori Amos - "Yes, Anastasia"
Boduf Songs - “Bell for Harness”

To see a full list of every song featured in EAR FARM's 8+ click HERE.

New Silver Jews Album!

This is fantastic news. I knew there was a reason I decided to wear my Silver Jews shirt this morning. Like a trick knee forecasting rain or dogs barking before an earthquake, I must have some sort of t-shirt wearing soothsaying ability. According to a report from Billboard, DC Berman and the gang have just wrapped their sixth studio album and are set to release it on Drag City later this April.

The 10-track effort is titled "Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea" and will be supported by live dates as well, though so far only appearances at ATP festivals in England and Spain in May have been confirmed.

Cut and pasted from the horse's mouth (Billboard.com):

The new songs were written over a seven-month period this year, beginning in March. Recording took place at Nashville's Lake Fever and Marble Valley in Lexington, Va.

"It's really different in that the songs have more epic settings. They are faux-heroic. Or rather foe-heroic," Silver Jew principal David Berman tells Billboard.com. "The music is never hard rock. Every song has a function or meaning that you could sum up in a few words."

The article also reports that Berman's touring band are featured on the album, including his wife Cassie on bass, in addition to a number of Silver Jew alums that have contributed over the years (though no word on whether Malkmus made an appearance).

And finally, the tracklisting for "Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea":

"What Is Not But Could Be If"
"Aloysius, Bluegrass Drummer"
"Suffering Jukebox"
"My Pillow Is the Threshold"
"Strange Victory, Strange Defeat"
"San Francisco B.C."
"Open Field"
"Party Barge"
"Candy Jail"
"We Could Be Looking for the Same Thing"

2008 is shaping up to be a choice music year...

Listen:
"Tennessee"

OPP

Merry Swankster predicts what will be on various publications' year-end lists

Largehearted Boy's Favorite Albums of 2007

Voting In The 2007 Gummy Awards Ends TODAY at 6pm

Check out MOKB's 2007 Holiday Interview Series

NEW Breeders song, album, tour, SXSW and Coachella

Idolator's Worst Album Cover Of The Year Tournament continues

EAR FARM's Saxophone Mix

Below you will find mix number three out of five that you can expect to see in the next few days as a result of EAR FARM's Thanksgiving Mix Contest. The theme for this mix was decided upon by Matt (not me). As he put it: "as a sax player, I'd love to hear your favorite tracks that feature sax and/or horns". Perfect. But, as a one-time saxophone player myself, I was inclined to limit the below mix to songs where the sax really stands out. Not horns, SAX. Enjoy.

EAR FARM's Saxophone Mix
1. "The Heart of Rock & Roll" by Huey Lewis & The News
2. "I'm Free Now" by Morphine
3. "Miss You" by The Rolling Stones
4. "Urgent" by Foreigner
5. "Harden My Heart" by Quarterflash
6. "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty
7. "Maneater" by Daryl Hall & John Oates
8. "My Cat's Name Is Maceo" by Jane's Addiction
9. "Young Americans" by David Bowie
10. "Close To Me (Closer Mix)" by The Cure
11. "Never Tear Us Apart" by INXS
12. "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" by John Lennon
13. "Hand Clappin'" by Red Prysock
14. "Night Train" by James Brown
15. "Hot Cha" by Junior Walker & The All Stars
16. "Aja" by Steely Dan
17. "Us And Them" by Pink Floyd

Download the entire mix as a ZIP HERE.

See also:
- EAR FARM's Chemistry Mix
- EAR FARM's Gambling Mix

PS - a notable exclusion here is anything featuring Clarence Clemons (I was thinking "Jungleland" obviously), but I like to be sure that my mixes fit onto a single CD and had to draw the line somewhere.

Helvetia

Prior to Monday afternoon, I had never heard/heard of Helvetia. Since Monday afternoon, I haven't really listened to much else. There's just a certain warmth and craggy fluidity pulsing through this Seattle trio's music that makes you want to stretch out and live inside your headphones. In fact, if Helvetia were an apartment, it would be the opposite of those stark, modern lofts lifted from the pages of Design Within Reach. Hell no. It would be one of those awesome brownstones with a roaring fireplace, ornate wood paneling and bookshelves filled with dusty volumes of lost classics where you would spend all night playing backgammon, drinking red wine and listening to records. Sounds nice, right?

This ability to create such inviting sonic environments may have something to do with their impressive pedigree: multi-instrumentalist Jason Albertini was a longtime member of Duster and both drummer Dove Amber and bassist Adam Howery perform in Arthur & Yu. Their music recalls Built To Spill, Flaming Lips, Comets on Fire and even early Sabbath and 70s stoner rock in some places. Perhaps best known for touring with Built To Spill in support of their 2006 debut album The Clever North Wind, Helvetia has readied a new album, The Acrobats, that will be released in March of 2008 in time for yet another tour with Doug Martsch and company.

Consider this an early warning then, because this album is fantastic. Recorded with Jim Roth (Built To Spill, Apostrophes) in his Seattle home studio, it boasts a throwback production quality - similar to that of the Dungen albums and Fiery Furnaces' Gallowsbird's Bark - where every guitar line is deliriously fat and fuzzy and bleeding perfectly into the crackling organ and cavernous drums. And ultimately, the guitar is king in Helvetia's world, pushed to the front to dictate melody, mood and dynamics. Alternately aggressively wah-drenched and peppered with deft jazz voicings and delicate flourishes, this is the sort of album that makes me wish it was standard practice to list effects pedals and setups in liner notes.

The prospect of seeing them paired with Built To Spill this spring should be enough for even the most casual of gunslingers (those of you still rocking Wolfmother on Guitar Hero) to consider revisiting the lost art of playing some live air guitar. While rocking out, you can thank Helvetia, just like the font, minus the c.

Listen:
"What It Did"

Visit Helvetia on MySpace.

EAR FARM's Gambling Mix

Below you will find mix number two out of five that you can expect to see in the next few days as a result of EAR FARM's Thanksgiving Mix Contest. The theme for this mix was decided upon by Mary. It is, quite simply, "a Las Vegas/Poker/Gambling mix". Enjoy.

EAR FARM's Gambling Mix
1. "Ace of Spades" by Motörhead
2. "Pokerface" by Ghostface Killah
3. "The Jack" by AC/DC

4. "Have A Lucky Day" by Morphine
5. "Viva Las Vegas" by Dead Kennedys
6. "Big Chips" by Jay-Z & R. Kelly
7. "Casino Royale" by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
8. "Heaven or Las Vegas" by Cocteau Twins
9. "Bad Card" by Bob Marley & The Wailers
10. "The Card Cheat" by The Clash
11. "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers
12. "Casino Queen" by Wilco
13. "Blackjack" by Ween
14. "Roulette" by Bon Jovi
15. "House of Cards" by Radiohead

Download the entire mix as a ZIP HERE.

See also:
- EAR FARM's Chemistry Mix

Three for Free - Rob Crow, Prints, Explosions in the Sky

EAR FARM's Three for Free: three EF approved, free and legal MP3s posted each week. This week - three more from Temporary Residence Limited. Click on the artist name to go to their site, click on the song name to listen to the song.

Listen:
Rob Crow - "I Hate You, Rob Crow (Single Version)"

Prints - "Too Much Water"

Explosions In the Sky - "Welcome, Ghosts"

EAR FARM's Chemistry Mix

The day before Thanksgiving EAR FARM announced a special contest where a limited number of people would be able to answer a question (why was "Strawberry Fields Forever" included in EAR FARM's Thanksgiving Mix?) and then receive a customized mix from me. The contest was originally intended to be for the first three people who responded correctly; however, I ended up making mixes for the first ten people because I love making people happy by making mixes. I can't help it. If you received an email back from me saying that you'd be getting your very own custom mix, it'll be headed your way shortly. For everyone else who entered, I had to set a cutoff point somewhere. Please stay tuned for your next chance to win your own customized mix from EAR FARM.

During the next few days you'll get a chance to listen to five of these mixes made for EF's Thanksgiving Mix Contest winners. The theme for each mix was decided upon by the person who entered the contest - in this case, a friend of mine named Graham. His requested theme: "a mix about science/chemistry". Enjoy.

EAR FARM's Chemistry Mix
1. "Chemistry" by The Adored
2. "I Am a Scientist" by Guided By Voices
3. "Test-Tube Baby / Shoot'm Down" by Morphine
4. "Rest My Chemistry" by Interpol
5. "Chemicals Collide" by Cloud Cult
6. "Molecules" by Trans Am
7. "The Sounds of Science" by Beastie Boys
8. "Hey Avogadro" by Professor Boggs
9. "Chemical World (Includes Hidden Track 'Intermission')" by Blur
10. "Experimental Man..." by SO!
11. "Atoms Divide" by Artichoke
12. "Scientist" by The Dandy Warhols
13. "Entropy (Part C: Count & Estimate)" by DJ Shadow & The Gift of Gab
14. "Chemical" by Stardeath & White Dwarfs

Download the entire mix as a ZIP HERE.

Today's NEW Releases

Again, not a whole lot, tis' the season for mediocrity?

• Daft Punk - Alive 2007
• Guillemots - Back to Mine
• The Raveonettes - Lust Lust Lust

Anything else?

Hangar 18: Bloggers vs. Rockers - Week 13

Week 13: this was it, the end of the regular season of Hangar 18: the Bloggers v. Rockers Fantasy Football League. Who would claim the final TWO playoff spots? Who would empty their browser's caches in disgust of being left out of the postseason party? Who who who?

When the dust settled and the Yahoo Fantasy Sports gods tallied the numbers, the Mancino squad (team name: Metric Ewing) hung on for dear life to beat I Guess I'm Floating and will now live to play another Sunday. Next stop: playoffs!

Below are the final regular season standings, the results from this past week, playoff matchups, our current rosters and the league's theme song. Congratulations also go out to Margot & The Nuclear So & So's for claiming the other open playoff spot.

Rockers vs. Bloggers Fantasy Football Final Regular Season Standings:

1. Arizona (10-2-1)*
2. EAR FARM (10-2-1)*
3. The Muggabears (8-4-1)*
4. My Old Kentucky Blog (7-5-1)*
5. Margot & The Nuclear So & So's (7-6)*
6. Mancino (7-6)*
7. Indie Interviews (6-6-1)
8. ninebullets (6-7)
9. Tapes 'n Tapes (Josh) (5-8)
10. Gorilla vs. Bear (5-8)
11. I Guess I'm Floating (3-10)
12. Tapes 'n Tapes/Vicious Vicious (Erik) (1-11-1)

*clinched playoff spot

Rockers vs. Bloggers Fantasy Football Week 13 Results:

Mancino (68) defeated I Guess I'm Floating (66)
EAR FARM (80) defeated My Old Kentucky Blog (78)
Arizona (95) Gorilla vs. Bear (84)
Muggabears (95) defeated TnT/Vicious Vicious (Erik) (52)
Indie Interviews (81) defeated Tapes 'n Tapes (Josh) (70)
Margot (116) defeated ninebullets (60)

Rockers vs. Bloggers Fantasy Football Week 14 Playoff Matchups:

Muggabears (3) (vs) Mancino (6)
My Old Kentucky Blog (4) (vs) Margot (5)

Bye Weeks: Arizona (1), EAR FARM (2)

Mancino's (team name Metric Ewing) current roster:

QB: Tom Brady (NE)
RB: Justin Fargas (Oak)
RB: Kolby Smith (KC)
WR: Lee Evans (Buf)
WR: Donte' Stallworth (NE)
WR: Roddy White (Atl)
TE: Benjamin Watson (NE)
D: New England
K: Shayne Graham (Cin)
BN: LenDale White (RB - Ten)
BN: Laurence Maroney (RB - NE)
BN: Maurice Morris (RB - Sea)

AND

EAR FARM's (team name Mother Puncher) current roster:

QB: Derek Anderson (Cle)
RB: Joseph Addai (Ind)
RB: Chester Taylor (Min)
WR: Dwayne Bowe (KC)
WR: Torry Holt (StL)
WR: Deion Branch (Sea)
TE: Jeremy Shockey (NYG)
D: New York Giants
K: Jeff Reed (Pit)
BN: Jerricho Cotchery (WR - NYJ)
BN: Amani Toomer (WR - NYG)
BN: Adrian Peterson (RB - Min)


Listen:
"Hangar 18" by Megadeth

Hit-or-miss

Listen:
"The Weight Of A Rock" by Marnie Stern from In Advance Of The Broken Arm

View:
Image search results for The Weight Of A Rock - above image is from the third page of results (and was originally from HERE).
--
In the recent past these songs were featured in Hit-or-miss posts:
"Where There's a Will There's a Whalebone" by Islands
"Pretender" by Madonna
"Talk Dirty to Me" by Poison
"Bandits" by Midlake
"Girlfriend" by Bobby Brown
"Slow Action Is The Best Action" by Run Chico Run
"Half A Person" by The Smiths
"The Bones Of An Idol" by The New Pornographers

To see a full list of every song featured in EAR FARM's Hit-or-miss (and to find out just what this Hit-or-miss is) click HERE.

EAR FARM's December 3rd Mix: Today's Musical Birthdays

Today is my birthday, so I thought we might take a brief look and listen to some of the musicians (past and present) with whom I share a December 3rd birthday.

Antonio Soler (December 3, 1729) - "was a Spanish composer whose works span the late Baroque and early Classical music eras. He is best known for his keyboard sonatas, an important contribution to the harpsichord, fortepiano and organ repertoire."

Listen:
"Concert en Fa Major, Núm IV: I. Afectuoso - Andante Non Largo" performed by Montserrat Torrent & Maria Lluïsa Cortada

Anton Webern (December 3, 1883) - "an Austrian composer and conductor. One of the best-known proponents of the twelve-tone technique; in addition, his innovations regarding schematic organization of pitch, rhythm and dynamics were formative in the musical technique later known as total serialism."

Listen:
"5 Movements for String Quartet, Op. 5: I. Heftig Bewegt" performed by the Berliner Philharmoniker

Nino Rota (December 3, 1911) - "was an Italian composer best known for his work on film scores, notably The Godfather series and the films of Federico Fellini. Rota also composed ten operas, five ballets and many instrumental works."

Listen:
"The Godfather - Waltz" by Nino Rota

Phyllis Curtin (December 3, 1921) - "an American soprano who made her operatic debut as The Countess in Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro" with the New England Opera Theater in 1946. She became a star of the New York City Opera, from 1953 and made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1961."

Listen:
"We Wish You a Merry Christmas" by Phyllis Curtin

Ferlin Husky (December 3, 1925) - "an American singer who has become well-known as a country-pop chart-topper under various names, including Terry Preston and Simon Crum. In the 1950s and 60s, Husky had several hits, including "Gone" and "Wings of a Dove", both number ones on the country charts."

Listen:
"Gone" by Ferlin Husky

Andy Williams (December 3, 1927) - "an American pop singer who has recorded 18 Gold and 3 Platinum certified albums. He has performed with Ray Charles, Elton John, Ella Fitzgerald, Simon and Garfunkel, Mama Cass and Michael Jackson. When Ronald Reagan was President, he declared Andy's voice to be "a national treasure". He has had his own TV show as well as starring in a number of films."

Listen:
"Music To Watch Girls By" by Andy Williams

Ozzy Osbourne (December 3, 1948) - "was the lead vocalist of the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath and the star of the reality show, The Osbournes. In addition to lead vocals with Black Sabbath, Osbourne also plays the harmonica and synthesizer."

Listen:
"Sweet Leaf" by Black Sabbath

Joe Lally (December 3, 1963) - " is a bass guitar player, primarily known for his work with Fugazi. He has also contributed occasional lyrics and vocals to Fugazi songs. He has worked with John Frusciante and Josh Klinghoffer on the album Automatic Writing as the group Ataxia."

Listen:
"Styrofoam" by Fugazi

Bill Steer (December 3, 1969) - "is an English guitar player. He was a guitarist for Napalm Death from 1987-1989. He played guitars in Carcass from 1985-1995. He played guitar with Michael Amott, who he inspired to form his own bands including his current band Arch Enemy."

Listen:
"Scum" by Napalm Death

Trina (December 3, 1978) - "an American rapper with records charting as high as #11 on Billboard’s 100 Top 20 and all the way to No. 2 on the Rap Charts."

Listen:
"Don't Trip" by Trina (featuring Lil Wayne)

After The Jump Presents New Year's Eve 2007 at New York's Knitting Factory!

The December 8th Winter Fest is DEAD
Long live After the Jump's New Year's Eve Party!

New York City, New Year's Eve 2007
taking over two levels of the
Knitting Factory
in support of Education Through Music
(Bands, DJs, and mind blowing awesomeness tba)
www.afterthejumpfest.com

curated by the people behind:
themusicslut . batteringroom . disconap . earfarm . ryspace . irockiroll . musicsnobbery . merryswankster . softcommunication . theunderratedblog . sitdownstandup . watercoolergossip . bumpershine . themodernage . productshopnyc . yetidontdance . slapyouinpublic . subinev . punkphoto . poptartssucktoasted . stereoactivenyc . fingeronthepulse

for more information, please email:

booking: booking@afterthejumpfest.com
charity: charity@afterthejumpfest.com
sponsors: sponsors@afterthejumpfest.com
publicity: publicity@afterthejumpfest.com

snip·pets

Petty, Heartbreakers To Rock Super Bowl Halftime

Morrissey Suing NME For Defamation

Bon Jovi, Jeff Tweedy, Queen, the Shins, My Morning Jacket Feel the Holiday Spirit With Charity Songs, Shows

Atonement for Your Illegal Downloading Sins: $5

New Portishead LP to Hit U.K. in April; Merge Auctions Spoon, Arcade Fire Posters

Super Furry Animals to give away Christmas MP3

Led Zeppelin taking tips from Elton John for reunion